Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs, Sermon 6
THE SIXTH SERMON. Our helpe be in the name of God, &c. It is written as followeth in the firſt Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles, the fourth and fifth verſes.
4 The vpright louelove thee.
5 I am black but comely ye daughters of Ieruſalē (I am) ſuch as the tabernacles of Kedar, & the pauillions of Salomon.
1 A ſummarie reherſal of the ſermons going before, and wherefore the ſpouſe changeth her ſpeech, caſting her eies vponupon the companie which followed her.
2 The ſmall number is on the Churches ſide.
3 Euerie ſmall number or great number is not the Church, but that of the vpright.
4 True vprightnes and the louelove of god are things inſeparablie lincked togither.
5 This ſpouſe is accōpanied with three ſortes of maidens, whereof ſome of them are indeed her companions, others her enemies, others are as it were betwixt both.
6 Why theſe here are called daughters of Ieruſalem, and the meane to bring them to their true mother.
7 In what ſenſe this ſpouſe faith, that ſhee is blacke, that ſhe is of that comelie hew which is contrary to the tanned and parched colour.
8 The inward beuty of the ſpouſe is neuer taken from her, but ſhe may wel bee ſpoiled of her outward ornaments for a time, when it pleaſeth her Bridegroome.
9 Examples of this poore eſtate of the ſpouſe in the auncient Church.
10 Examples of the ſame in the Chriſtian Church.
11 This ſpouſe is ſometimes ſo disfigured, that ſhe is not knowen of men.
12 But yet ſhee is alwaies faire and ſhining before God, and ſuch as are of a cleare ſight.
13 That this doctrine is of all others moſt neceſſary in this our time.
WE hauehave hitherto vnderſtoode the earneſt and ardent deſire of the ſpouſe, thinking on no other thing, then on this real coniunction with hir beloued, in which conſiſteth her whole felicitie, and for this cauſe deſiring him, that either hee would come vntounto her, or elſe (beeing forced as it were to make this requeſt by an holy impatiency) deſiring that ſhe may be drawen vntounto him. We hauehave examples of either of theſe deſires in the holie Scriptures, being a thing moſt certaine, that the auncient fathers from the beginning of the Church, wiſhed for nothing more then the comming of their deliuerer, as Ieſus Chriſt witneſſeth, Mat. 13.17. and Saint Peter in his firſt chapter verſe 11. and Dauid in many Pſalmes ſinging & reioycing, as if he ſaw already this ſoueraigne king before his eies, Pſ 96 97. and in others following. Whereunto belongeth that alſo which the Lorde himſelfe ſaith of Abraham, that ſeeing the daie of the Lorde hee reioyced: Ioh. 8.56. But whereas the fathers ſaw him not but afar off in the promiſes and ſhadowes of the Lawe: Heb. 11.13. it is no maruaile if they deſired ſome thing more (for which Simeon giueth God thanks in his ſong) ſeeing the Saints at this daie, ſince his firſt comming, inſteede of beeing ſatisfied therewith, deſire yet more feruentlie his returne, as witneſſeth that demaund of ours euerie daie in our praier, That his kingdome come: or elſe wiſhing to bee diſlodged quickly from below as the Apoſtle crieth out, Rom. 7.24. and Phil. 1.23. which is nothing elſe but to bee drawen vntounto him, leauing here below, the old caſt garment of this bodie, vntill it be chaunged & taken againe in incorruption, 2. Cor. 5.5. Now the ſpouſe hauing ended her former ſpeech, by the which ſhee was raiſed as it were aboue the cloudes, by the winges of faith and hope, ſhee entereth here now into another, as hauing caſt her eies both vponupon her companie and traine, and vponupon hir ſelfe and others which beheld hir. And this hath Salomon here ſet downe not without great reaſon, as ſhal appeare, by the handling of this matter. For it cannot bee but ſuch conſiderations wil often ariſe in the mindes and thoughts of ſuch as are moſt perfect: for which cauſe it is more then neceſſarie we prouide before hand that wee be nothing ſhaken by them, as manie in our daies are. This Queene therefore hauing boſted her ſelfe, that if ſhee were drawen by the king her beloued, ſhee would come running vntounto him with a goodlie and triumphant companie, and hereupon beginning to conſider what this troupe and traine of hers could be in compariſon of them, whom ſhee calleth here, Daughters of Ieruſalem, and of thoſe of whom ſhee afterwards complaineth, ſhe becommeth at the firſt as it were aſhamed. But afterwards conſidering the quality and not the quantity thereof, ſhee pronounceth cheerefully theſe wordes, The vpright louelove thee, as if ſhe ſhould hauehave ſaid, wee are indeede a ſmall companie, but fayre and good: for I bring thee nothing which is not entire and vpright, and which beareth thee not a true and ſincere affection. And a little and good is better then a great deale and naught.
2 This is the comfort & conſolation which hath been, & yet is moſt neceſſary vntounto the church, according to theſe words of the Lord: Luk. 12.32. Feare not litle flock, for it is your fathers pleaſure to beſtow on you a kingdome. There are then no greater deceiuers, to terme them in moſt courteous manner, then they, who to diſcerne the true church (to the which wee muſt of neceſſity ioyne our ſelues if we wilbe ſaued) from the falſe (from which we muſt of neceſſity ſeparat our ſelues if we wil not periſh) ſtand wholy vponupon a multitude. For firſt of al, eueryevery one is conſtrained to confeſſe, that euen in the affaires & dealings of this world, there are alwayes to be found more fools then wiſe men. How is it then when the point concerneth ſupernaturall wiſdome and goodnes? If wee will not beleeue that which the Lord himſelfe hath ſaide in expreſſe termes, ſpeaking of the broade gate which leadeth to deſtruction, & through which many doe paſſe, and of the ſtreit and narow gate leading vntounto life, and which fewe doe finde, Mat. 7.13. let vsus at leaſt beleeue that perpetual experience which wee hauehave hereof. For what was I praie you the number and multitude of the true children of God, when the deluge came vponupon the world, in the which only eight perſons were ſpared which periſhed not by the waters? And afterward what was Abrahams houſe, in reſpect of the Cananits onelyonly? Yea what was the whole people of Iſraell, to compriſe therein the hipocrites and falſe Iſraelites, in compariſon of all the nations of the world, ſhut out of the couenant of ſaluation? Eph. 2.12. Yea and then eſpecially when the Bridegroome came into the earth in perſon, to gather and to viſite his church, who reiected him but the builders? who cried away with him, away with him, crucifie him, crucifie him, but the multitude? what multitude was that firſt number of ſixſcore perſons, by which the the Chriſtian church began in Ieruſalem? To bee ſhort when our aduerſaries at this day, who oppoſe their great number to our ſmall companie, ſhall hauehave wel counted, what are they all together in compariſō of the reſt of the world which acknowledge not Ieſus Chriſt? The multitude therefore is ſo far from beeing a true marke of the Church of God, that on the contrarie ſide the greateſt number ought rather to bee ſuſpected of vsus.
3 Notwithſtanding we ſay not that eueryevery ſmall companie ought alwaies to be followed: but it muſt be withall qualified with this name which is here giuen vntounto it, to wit, the name of vpright: which wee ought well to waigh, to know not onlie where the true church is, but alſo thoſe which are the true mē bers thereof. The true church therefore is that where the vpright and true veritie of God touching our ſaluation is purely taught, and they are indeede of the church, who embrace it in their minde and hart, and by effect do declare the ſame. And what is this vprightnes, but the will of our God witneſſed in all perfection by the writings of his prophets & Apoſtles? I mean in his law, in reſpect of our applying our ſelues to perfourme it, according to the meaſure of his grace, and in his goſpell in reſpect of that our beleeuing vntounto ſaluation. EueryEvery aſſemblie therefore, be it great or litle, which holdeth not it ſelfe to this vprightnes, cannot bee the church of God, nor he a member of the true church, who beleeueth or doth otherwiſe.
4 And we muſt note wel that this tru vprightnes & the louelove of God, are things altogether ioyned each to other, & inſeparable: whēce it foloweth that what doctrine ſoeuer withdraweth vsus neuer ſo litle from the louelove of God (as all falſe religions hauehave this in cōmon, that they ſtay men either on thēſelues, or vponupon other creatures in whole or in part) cannot be the true & right way, wherof mētion is here made: & likewiſe, that whoſoeuer witneſſeth not by his life, that he loueth & feareth god, is no true vpright man nor a Chriſtian, though he hauehave all the knowledge of truth in his head. And becauſe the louelove of God is declared by the louelove of our neighbour, whoſoeuer loueth not his neighbour, is a lyar, if he ſaie that he loueth God, Ioh. 13.35. and 1. Ioh. 4.20.
5 There follow now after this, the words of the ſpouſe turning her ſelfe to the daughters of Ieruſalem: which wee muſt by name diſcerne & diſtinguiſh as wel from thoſe which ſhee called the vpright, to wit, the ladies of her traine; as from them of whom ſhe complaineth afterward, and calleth the ſonnes of her mother. Seeing then that wee vnderſtand by this spouſe the true Church of the Lord, and by the Virgins which follow her, thoſe which from day to daie are borne and bred vp in her in the Lord, and by the ſonnes of her mother the domeſtical enimies of the Church, abuſing their authoritie to the ruining and deſtroying of her: it followeth that in this place by the Daughters of Ieruſalem, wee muſt vnderſtand the common ſort, namelie them which are in ſuch ſort in the Church, that notwithſtanding they care not greatlie for it, and referring themſelues to the preſent eſtate of religion, ſuch as it falleth out to be, follow the courſe and rate of the market, as wee ſay, yea and willinglie adioyne themſelues rather to the perſecutors then otherwiſe.
6 The ſpouſe therefore ſpeaking vntounto theſe, and calling them Daughters of Ieruſalem, becauſe that Ieruſalem ſhould be eſpecially the Citie of God, ſetteth before them, firſt of all, the grace that God beſtowed on them, if they could vſe it wel, and ſecondly vpbraideth them, and that worthilie with their careleſneſſe, as if ſhe ſhould ſaie: And you the reſt which I ſee here about me, and yet are not of my traine, of whom is it long, that you are not, hauing receiued this grace of God to be born not Philiſtines, nor Edomites, but citizens of this city of God? I ſee what the matter is. You thinke me not fayre, becauſe my hew is Sun-burned and blacke, in compariſon of you who hauehave ſo freſh & ſo fair an hew. Now I confeſſe that I am indeed black, but yet notwithſtanding, I hauehave a faire and pleaſaunt beuty, which you ſee not. For as, if you behold me outwardlie, I am as black & as tanned, as if I had been brought vp vnderunder the skinnes and Cabbins of theſe Moores and Arabians: ſo if you conſider of my beuty through this blacknes, there is no pauillion or tente of Salomon that rich & mightie king ſo faire, and ſo glittering as my ſelfe. Afterward ſhe addeth, that this tanned hew of hers is not natural, but that it hath happened vntounto her, as vntounto a yong maiden driuen by her naughty and wicked brethren out of her fathers houſe, where ſhee ſhould hauehave liued and continued at her eaſe, driuen I ſay, far and wide, and made to endure abroad the parching of the Sunne and other iniuries of the weather. Now for the vnderſtanding of this ſpeech which is altogither allegorical, as alſo this whole Canticle or Song, wee muſt firſt of al note, that whereas ordinarilie by the colour of black is vnderſtoode euerie ſad and vnpleaſant thing, as contrariwiſe by white ioy and pleaſure is ſignified: notwithſtanding by blacknes in this place, which the ſpouſe confeſſeth to bee in her, is not meant our natural foulnes & blacknes, which is indeed more then filthy & deteſtable, in which this ſpouſe was found at the beginning as Ezechiel hereof ſpeaketh Ezech. 16. For, as touching this vncleannes the Bridegroome had alreadie waſhed this ſpouſe of his, with his moſt pure and cleane waters Eſay. 1.55. namelie by his bloode, and his ſpirit which maketh that euer ſithence, the Church, in as much as it is cleanſed by faith, and conſidered ſuch as it is in her Bridegroome her beloued, is without ſpot or blemiſh Eph. 1.4. and Coloſ. 1.22. & as touching her perſon within, ſhee is alreadie ſo clenſed, that ſin raigneth no more in her, but decreaſeth by little and little, wayting ſtill for that later daie, in which beeing clothed anew with incorruption, and made comformable to the glorious bodie of her Bridegroome: Philip. 3.10. ſhe ſhal bee truelie without spotte or wrinckle, Epheſ. 5.27. The ſpouſe therefore ſpeaketh not in this place of this naturall infection, neither in whole nor in part, but meaneth by this word the poore & miſerable eſtate, wherunto the Church is ſometimes brought in two ſortes. The firſt in reſpect of her natiue beutie, which is giuen her in proper: the ſecond in regard of many and diuerſe calamities of this life, by which her beloued doth ſometimes proue her, & ſometimes chaſtice her. Which thing requireth a more large and ample declaration. I cal therefore the proper beuty of this spouſe, and that whereby her Bridegroome maketh her indeede gracious and commendable, and cauſeth her to be known vntounto al thoſe, which are not vtterlie blinde, by her admirable ſhining beuty: firſt, this ineſtimable brightnes of the clearnes of truth, and of the fauour and good will of him, who hath endued his ſpouſe therewith: the which beuty is truely within, as it is ſaid in the 45. Pſalm, verſ. 13. & in the inward and ſpirituall man. Secondly by the proper beutie of the Church, wee muſt vnderſtand that goodlie order of the miniſterie, and outward ſeruice of God, which was truelie heretofore, ſuch as might rauiſh the whole world in admiration by the magnificencie and ſumpteouſnes, firſt of the Tabernacle, afterwardes of the Temple of Salomon, and of all that which was therein done by the ordinance and appointment of God. All this notwithſtanding, as the Apoſtle teacheth vsus: Coloſ. 2.17. & the whole Epiſtle to the Hebrues, was nothing but the figure and ſhadow, as wel of the perſon of Ieſus Chriſt, as alſo of the excellencie of the miniſterie of the Goſpell, ſo much the more precious and glorious to the eies of ſuch as ſee clearlie, the more ſimple and leſſe earthly it is. For euen that outwarde Leuitical pomp, how glorious and excellent ſo euer it were, had it not beene referred vntounto this end, wherefore it was ordained, would hauehave been not only no faire or beutiful thing in the eies of the Lord: but contrariwiſe, as he declareth by the mouth of al his prophets, all of it whatſoeuer would hauehave beene vntounto him in this reſpect moſt ſtincking, foule, & infected. Yee ſee then that the Church hath a double ornament, and that a moſt precious one, with which being clothed and decked, ſhe ſheweth paſſing faire & goodlie, as on the contrarie ſide, being ſpoiled thereof, ſhe is in ſuch ſort disfigured and groweth out of fauour, that he muſt hauehave very good eies which wil know her.
8 But we are to note that of theſe two ornamentes, the inward is neuer taken from this ſpouſe, being as it were a coſtly iewel which he neuer looſeth, and without the which alſo ſhe ſhould bee no more taken and acknowledged for the ſpouſe. But as for the outwarde decking, togither with other markes which are likewiſe viſible, when it pleaſeth God, his poore Church is for a time as it were ſtript out of it, either becauſe the world is not worthie to hauehave in the midſt of it ſuch a beuty which it contemneth, or happily becauſe it is expedient and neceſſarie, that ſhe be for ſome fault of hers, depriued of it for a time, to wit, vntil the time of reconciliation, as Eſay hereof ſpeaketh: 54.6. and 7. For that time therefore ſhee is in ſorrow and heauines, and without her gloſſe and glittering, which may be perceiued: faire ſtil notwithſtanding and beutiful in the eies of her beloued, who hath alwaies an eie vponupon her, not to forſake her.
9 For example and proofe hereof let vsus compare the time of the captiuity of Egypt, of the greateſt part vnderunder the Iudges, vnderunder Saul, vnderunder the ten tribes after their reuolt, vnderunder a great part of the kings of Iuda, vnderunder the captiuity of Babylon (vnderunder which there was no apparant form of ſtate, either temporal or eccleſiaſticall) the time of the miſeries and horrible diſorders and confuſions which happened vnderunder the empire of the Greekes, and vnderunder the Romans, vntill the totall deſtruction of the Temple, and of the nation of the Iewes, let vsus, I ſay but cōpare theſe times with the outward eſtate of the Church vnderunder Moſes, Aaron, Ioſua, Dauid, Salomon, ſo long as he continued wiſe, Aſa, Ioſaphat, Ezechias, Ioſias, Nehemias, and other like kings, and gouerners, when there were any ſuch, and we ſhal neede no farther proofe of this which I hauehave ſaid. And therefore they are themſelues deceiued, and doe deceiue others, which iudge of the church according vntounto this outward and viſible marke, as if it were eſſential and perpetual, beeing moſt commonly ſpoiled thereof, and yet not leauing therefore to be knowen by them, who hauehave had good eies to marke her natiue, and eſſential inſeparable beutie.
10 Now to come to the chriſtian Church, this point is eſpecially to be noted, to wit, that whereas the auncient church for the obſcurity of the promiſes, which were as it were the contract of this marriage, waiting for the viſible comming of the Bridegroome, had need of theſe earthly & material Iewels, as being pledges & witneſſes of his cōming: ſo the Bridegroome being come, as this marriage alſo is ſpiritual and tendeth vntounto a ſpirituall life, hath made an ende of all this: eſtabliſhing the charges and callings of the officers of his houſe, and of all his outward ſeruice, after a moſt ſimple manner and faſhion, farre different from the former. Retaining therefore the ſoueraign and eternall Prieſthood vntounto himſelfe, and likewiſe the regality in lieu of all the Leuitical Prieſthood and other charges & offices ſeruing thereunto: he hath firſt of all ſet vp his ſpiritual Temple throughout the world, which is the Chriſtian church, by his maſter builders, I meane, by his Apoſtles, Prophets, and Euangeliſts: which being done, he hath withal eſtabliſhed for gouernours of this building, vntounto the end and conſummation of the world, Paſtours and Doctours for the adminiſtration of the woorde and of the Sacraments: likewiſe Elders for the inſpection and ouer-ſight of manners and other Eccleſiaſticall cenſures: and finally Deacons for the adminiſtring & diſpenſing of the Church-almes, and other reliefes of the poore: and hath alſo ordained but two Sacramentes, common vntounto the whole Church and perpetual, the moſt ſimpleſt, that poſſiblie might be, whether we conſider the matter, or whether we reſpect the forme & adminiſtring of them: & al this, fearing leaſt wee ſhould ſtay our ſelues on earthly things, to ſeek after our ſaluatiō in them, or any holines beſides. And therfore was the Chriſtian Church then in hir gloſſe and beutifull hew, when this ſimplicitie was diligently obſerued therein and maintained, as it was in the time of the Apoſtles, vnderunder whom verilie ſhe floriſhed in this natiue and ingenuous beuty, both inward and outward, which Eſay deſcribeth vntounto vsus, 54 and 60. But alas, we may well ſay that this glittering gloſſe of hirs, was but as a lightening which paſſeth from Eaſt to Weſt, and is ſoone vaniſhed away and gone, as the Lorde himſelfe foretolde it would be, Mat. 24.27. and Luk. 17.24. For behold alreadie euen in the Apoſtles time, they of the Circumciſion could not abide the taking awaie of the Iudaicall Ceremonies, which had bin ſometime the decking & ſetting forth of this ſpouſe, but had an end at the comming of the bridegroome in perſon. Others began then to mingle, vnderunder the ſhadow of deuotion, their goodly friuolous and altogither ſuperſtitious inuentions: others, not conſidering that they went about to bee more wiſe then god himſelfe, inſteed of contenting themſelues with this natiue and ingenuous beutie, added thereunto the painting of their owne goodly humane wiſedome. And albeit the Apoſtle hath ſo often and ſo diuerſly cried out againſt all ſuch inuentions, and namely by a moſt ſingular diuine and cleare diſtinct ſetting downe of all theſe abuſes, Coloſſ. 2.16. and the verſes following, yet could he not hinder that this ſhould not come to paſſe. Hereupon is entered into the Church the moſt part of Ceremonies manifeſtly and notoriouſly taken from Iudaiſme, as namely holy water, prieſtly veſtments, lights, decking of materiall temples, ſhining and glittering with gold and ſiluer and precious ſtones, without ſparing of all maner coſtly apparell, & brauerie that might be. Afterwards the ſimplicity of adminiſtring the Sacraments ſeemed ouer light, & therfore there muſt be added to the conſecration of the water, chriſme, ſalt, ſpettle, chreme, &c. As for the ſacrament of the Supper, it was in the end cleane taken away & aboliſhed by Tranſſubſtantiation, & by a reall and expiatory offering and oblation which men hauehave inuented. Beſides al this, this goodly humane wiſedome hath had that credit a long time to modell and paterne forth eccleſiaſtical charges after the Romane policy, to the ende to fulfill and accompliſh that which was foretold by Saint Iohn, in the Apocalyps, of the Image of the beaſt. From hence inſteede of an Ariſtocraticall order of Biſhoppes, that is to ſay Paſtours, are come * the dignities of Patriarcks and others, and laſt of all two Popes or Oecumenicall Biſhops, the one in the Eaſt, whoſe wings Mahomet hath clipped, and the other in the Weſt: ſeated the one and the other vponupon the ſeuen hils, and eſpecially hee of the Weſt, who doth yet make dronke the Kings and Nations of the earth, aſſiſted with his breethren, officers of the lateſt and neweſt forge, called Cardinals. I let paſſe ſo many ſuperſtitions, at which, a man may preſuppoſe that Sathan himſelfe laugheth. All this notwithſtanding, if a man wil beleeue our aduerſaries, behold the beutie of the Chriſtian Church: yea verily, if a ſhameleſſe thing, painted and diapred by her louers, may be this chaſt and modeſt ſpouſe of Ieſus Chriſt, which hath neither within her nor vponupon her any thing ſaue that which it hath pleaſed hir Bridegrome to giuegive hir, & which cōtenteth hirſelfe altogither with the garmentes, which the true and faithful woorkmen of the Lorde, I meane his Apoſtles, hauehave cut forth and fitted for her. The more then the Church is decked after the Apoſtolicke faſhion, the more faire ſhee is, whatſoeuer the minians and bawdes of the falſe painted Church ſay to the contrary. And if the poore auncient Church brought in here by the holy ghoſt, hath had iuſt occaſion of complaining, that ſhee was as it were disfigured by them, either which plucked from her the outward ornaments ſhee receiued of hir Bridegroome, or which loaded and diſguiſed hir with prophane trimmings & tifflings vp of her, which darckened and obſcured hir ſhining beuty, according as the Prophets in many places ſpeake thereof: alas vponupon how much more iuſt occaſion, maie and ought the Chriſtian Church to complaine of them, who vnderunder coulour that they would deck and trimme her, and make hir more faire and beutifull then her ſpouſe had made hir, hauehave arrayed her ſo ill? And ſo hath ſhee indeede already made hir complaint hereof vntounto her Bridegroome, who hath begun in our time to heare hir, and hath put it into the mindes of good Chriſtian Princes and Magiſtrates to disburden her of thoſe ſtincking and defiled gawdes to reſtore her vntounto her natiue beuty▪ in which thing, God of his goodneſſe inſpire them farther, and guide them with his fauour more and more, to the ende that wee maie ſoone ſee the accompliſhment of that which hath beene hereof foretold, Apocal. 21. It remaineth we now ſpeak of the ſecond kinde of blackneſſe, proceeding as hath been ſaid from the afflictions and incommodities which concerne the ſtate of this preſent life. This blackneſſe happeneth vntounto the Church, according vntounto the prouidence of God for diuerſe reaſons: namely, ſometimes for the chaſtening or rather awaking of her, when ſhee is as it were aſleepe, and ſometimes for the proouing of her, and for the glorifieng of God in the patience and conſtancy which hee giueth her: all this notwithſtanding, bee it hee chaſtiſe her, bee it hee exerciſe or prooue her (as it is ſayd Pſalme 44.) finallie turning to an happie and good ende for her. Romans 8.28. But amongeſt all theſe afflictions, thoſe which are vnderſtoode by the name of Croſſe in the Scripture, to witte, the ſufferinges for the name of the Bridegroome, and for righteouſneſſe, whether they proceede from within by domeſticall enemies, or whether they come from without by the perſecutions of the open enemies of the Church, are marked foorth vntounto vsus throughout the whole Scripture as ſingular deckings vp and excellent ornamentes of the Church of God, and the moſt glittering Iewels hee giueth his ſpouſe togither with fayth, according to that which is ſaid by the Apoſtle: Philip. 1.14. in ſuch ſort as this is the true reioycing of the ſpouſe: Rom. 5.3. Matth. 5.12. Galat. 6.14. and elſewhere in infinite manie places of the Scripture. And indeede the Church was neuer more beutifull and ſhining then vnderunder the Croſſe, the ſaying of the Apoſtle being verified by experience, That the power of the Lord is made perfect in our infirmitie and weakeneſſe: 2. Cor. 12.9.
11 But this letteth not but▪ that ſometimes the Church in reſpect of the viſible markes thereof, and the eyes of men, is as it were darckened, and that ſo farre, that it is not knowen to the moſt part of the woorlde for a time, as if it were no more at all in the world: whether a man regard the apparant beauty of it, which is the publique exerciſe of preaching the woorde and of adminiſtring the Sacramentes: or whether a man conſider this goodlie order of callinges, and of the diſcipline of the Church hindered and as it were broken off for a time by the violence of perſecutions, bee it within by the ſway of hereſies, or without by the open enemies of the Church, when both theſe kindes of blackneſſe of which wee hauehave ſpoken meete together. Such was the eſtate of the Church, both by them within it, and by them without, vnderunder the horrible perſecution of Pharao, then when Moſes was ſo ill knowen of his owne: and afterward vnderunder a great part of the Iudges, & namely at the time of the warre againſt the tribe of Beniamin, whē (as the Scripture ſaith) there was no gouernor nor king in Iſrael, but euerie mā did what ſeemed him good in his owne eies. Iudg. 21.25. as alſo vnderunder Ely the word of God being a very precious & dainty thing at that time: 1. Sam. 3.1. In the later time alſo of Saul, and after his death, vntil the ſecond election of Dauid, a man might ſee a terrible obſcuring & darkening of the true viſible markes of the Church: yea as it were a totall defacing of them in the kingdome of Iſrael vnderunder the perſecution of Ieſabel, ſo farre that Elias was entered into this opinion, that hee was left alone to ſerue God, 1. King. 19.10. And as for the kingdome of Iuda, the ſtate of the Church was brought there to that point, that euen Iuda iuſtified Iſrael, as Ezechiel vpbraideth her therewith, Ezech. 16.51. And what could the ſeruice and worſhippe of God bee vnderunder Achaz? 2. Chron. 28. & vnderunder Manaſſes: 2. King. 21. and 2. Chronic. 33. Finallie during the ſeuentie years of the captiuitie of Babylon, whereunto was the name of the people of God brought? And vnderunder the perſecution of Antiochus, vntil the purging again of the Temple? And as for the Chriſtian Church, what was the deſolation thereof in the moſt part of the world, then when the Arrians for certain hundreds of yeares were a-flote & bare ſway? But eſpecially & aboue the reſt, that deſolation is to be marked, which happened after the Emperors Maurice and Phocas, both in the Eaſt, where Mahomet and his ſucceſſours hauehave ſo disfigured this ſpouſe, that yet to this preſent daie can ſhee with much adoe bee knowen, and in the Weſt, by the Childe of perdition, ſeated in the Temple of God, beeing by this meanes verified and yet dailie prooued true, that which the Lorde himſelfe hereof hath foretolde, Luk. 18.8. and the Apoſtle after him. 2. Timot. 3.1. and 2. Theſſal. 2.3. and yet more clearly Apoc. 12.14.
12 But notwithſtanding it is to bee noted, that as the Sunne, beeing by the interpoſition of the Moone ecclipſed and darckened, or rather hindered to caſt his cleare beames vponupon the earth by ſome miſtes of cloudes for a time, in reſpect of men, leaueth not for all this to remaine in his owne nature full of light, and of brightnes: yea and it maie bee that ſome ſharpe and cleare eies maie acknowledge and perceiue his beutie and brightnes amidſt theſe miſts: euen ſo this ſpouſe although ſuch perſecutions doe darken, and as I may ſo ſay, doe vtterly take away her natiue and ingenuous beautie, yea make her to looke like a Moore or Arabian, in reſpect of men, who by this meanes know her not: ſo is it notwithſtanding that thorough this blackeneſſe of hers remayne certaine traces of beautie: naie farther, as white ſheweth more white, being laide neare vntounto blacke: ſo afflictions, which are meant by this blackneſſe, cauſe her to ſhewe more bewtifull and faire, both to her Bridegroome, as wee ſhall ſee it in the verſes following, and vntounto them which knowe her well, as Saint Paul, 2. Cor. 11.30. and Galat. 6.14. and 17. And this is the reaſon which mooued the ſpouſe to ſay, That ſhee is blacke and yet verie faire withall, and that on one ſide, ſhee is blacke as the Tabernacles of the Arabians, and on the other ſide, that ſhee is white and ſhining as the Tentes and Pauillions of Salomon. Neither is it without great cauſe, that ſhee ſpeaketh in this place of Salomon oppoſed and contrarie matched with them of Kedar. For all the ſhining brightneſſe of this ſpouſe, commeth vntounto her from the true Salomon, which is that true king of peace, on whome dependeth all her beeing and brightneſſe, as the moone hath no light but of the ſunne. This bewtie is alſo wel ſet forth and deſcribed in the 45. Pſal. verſ. 11. vntounto which the Kedarits are here oppoſed, I meane the children of darckeneſſe, who appertaine not at all to this King of light, nor vntounto this Queene, amongeſt which alſo, Dauid complaineth that hee had dwelt and beene held captiue too long: Pſalme 120. verſ. 5.
13 Now by theſe matters which wee hauehave aboue declared, and the times wherein we are, the Lord maketh vsus to ſee if we hauehave any eies, and cauſeth vsus feele and perceiue if we be not more then bereaued of ſenſe, how not onelyonly expedient, but howe altogether neceſſarie it is that wee bee well inſtructed in the knowledge of the true markes of the Church, being in ſo manie places as yet wholly defaced, and in other places ſo counterfeited, that it is hard for a man not to bee deceaued among them, if hee looke not the nearer vntounto them, & examine all by this touchſtone, which is the worde of the Lorde enregiſtred by the Prophets and Apoſtles, the ſumme whereof wee hauehave in our Chriſtian Creede. Aboue all let theſe temporizers, and irreſolute, and politique fellowes of our time, vntounto whome properlie this ſpouſe here ſpeaketh, looke vntounto themſeues, and inſteede of beeing ſcandalized and offended with the poore eſtate of this ſpouſe according vntounto the worlde, prouide for their owne conſcience vponupon paine of euerlaſting death: ſeeing that without the church there is no ſaluation, and hearing the reprehenſion which Elias maketh againſt them which knowe not on which ſide to turne themſelues, 1. Kings. 18.21. let them take pitty on themſelues, and ioine themſelues vntounto this ſpouſe, to the end all may come togither with hir vntounto eternal and euerlaſting bliſſe and felicity, through our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, Amen.