Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs, Sermon 7
THE SEVENTH 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 ſixth verſe.
6 Regard me not that I am browne, for the ſun hath looked vponupon me. The ſonnes of my mother were angry againſt mee, they ſet mee to keepe the vineyard, but I kept not my owne vineyard.
1 A briefe rehearſall of the Sermon going before.
2 The Church leaueth not to bee a Church for ſome defects of hers, bee it in manners or in doctrine. How we ought to beare our ſelues in ſuch a caſe. The difference betwixt a bodie which hath ſome fauls & defect, & a bodie vtterlie rotten in the moſt noble and chiefe parts.
3 The croſſe ought not to bring the Church out of knowledge, but is contrariwiſe an expreſſe demonſtration thereof.
4 The great deſolations of the Church hauehave happened by the principall of them within it.
5 Wherefore the ſpouſe ſpeaketh here of a vine.
6 In what ſenſe the Church calleth hir perſecutours the ſonnes of hir mother.
7 Whence the anger and deſpite of bastard brethren proceedeth against their innocent ſister, euen to put her ſometimes out of the houſe.
8 The application of this Doctrine to the estate of the Church, frō many ages, vntounto this which is now.
WEE hauehave vnderſtood the woordes of the ſpouſe turning her ſpeech vntounto the daughters of Ieruſalem, that is to ſay, vntounto them who according to the diuerſitie of times which went before Salomon, & folowed afterwards, beeing Iſraelites by name, made ſmall reckoning notwithſtanding of knowing either what religion was (amidſt the conflicts and ſtrifes they had with the nations bordering about them) or what this ſpouſe meant, or els applied themſelues to the greateſt and mightieſt, deſpiſing the poore eſtate and condition of the ſmall number of the children of God, as appeared by the writings of the Prophets, and as it happened vntounto Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, Mat. 11. and Mar. 6.3. Whereupon the ſpouſe warned them, that for all this ſhee leaueth not to hauehave her true beuty, to be knowen thereby and followed. But now ſhee addeth a ſingular exhortation, which conſiſteth in three points: the firſt, that it is not the outward hew which men muſt ſtand vponupon to iudge of her bewty: the ſecond, that men make her blacker then indeed ſhe is: the third, that this blackeneſſe of hers is not naturall, and therefore by conſequent will not alwaies continue to be ſuch, adding withall, through whoſe fault it is that ſhee is in this caſe.
2 Now touching the firſt of theſe points, ſhe warneth and aduertiſeth them, not to ſtand ſo much vponupon conſidering of her in this hew, how ſun-burnt ſoeuer it be: a warning & aduertiſment of al others moſt neceſſarie, ſeeing there is nothing ſo faire and perfect in nature, whereof a man groweth not out of taſt and liking, if letting paſſe to conſider the bewty and goodnes thereof, he ſettle his minde wholy to take a view of eueryevery defect & imperfection which may be found in it: whereas rightly to iudge of a thing, and to make our profit thereby, we muſt equally conſider of it, and vprightly ballance euerie thing in it. And as this meaſure is to be held in eſteeming al other things, ſo is it eſpecially and aboue all to bee obſerued in this matter, wherof we here ſpeak. They whom they called in ancient time Cathariſts, as alſo the Donatiſts, and of our time a certain ſort of Anabaptiſts make good proofe hereof: who imagining a perfect beuty of a church in this world, ſeuer thē ſelues from all others (as if in their particular aſſemblies this perfection were to be found) wherein they doe greatlie abuſe and deceiue themſelues. Firſt in this, that they ſtand only vponupon the defects of the Church, thinking that therefore the Church is no Church. Secondly in this, that they eſpy a mote in the eie of an other, & will not ſee the beame which is in their own eies. We are therefore to note, that there is a diuerſity & difference of defectes and imperfections which are found in the Church. The firſt are touching manners, which howe wicked and corrupt ſoeuer they bee, either in the paſtours and ſheepheards, or in the ſheep, ought not to caſt vsus into ſuch a rage as therefore to thinke, that there is no Church in thoſe places where ſuch corruptions are found. I ſay ſo long as the truth is there taught, according to that which the Lord ſaid ſpeaking to the Scribes and Phariſies, ſo long as they ſate in the chaire of Moſes, that is to ſay, ſo long as they taught the doctrine of Moſes: doe yee, ſaith he, that which they ſaie, but doe not that which they do: Mat. 23.2. Although this hinder not, but that a man may well withdrawe himſelfe from the company of ſuch men, following the Apoſtles admonition, 1. Cor. 5.11. & as the Prophet proteſteth himſelfe did, Pſal. 17.4. and warneth vsus to do the like, Pſ. 1.1. nay letteth not, but that a man may retire himſelfe into purer and cleaner flocks (if there be any ſuch) and where he may be in leſſe danger of being corrupted by the contagion and infection of others. The other imperfection conſiſteth in doctrine. In which againe there are many circumſtances to be conſidered before we depriue any aſſembly, be it great or ſmall, of the name of the Church. And that this ſhould be ſo, we ſee by the firſt epiſtle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians, that in the church of Corinth, not only touching manners, the diſcipline of the church was very looſly obſerued, and the manner of teaching the word greatly prophaned by a vaine and affected kinde of babling: but which more is that the pro and the con touching the article of the reſurrection of the dead was ſtoutly and ſtifly diſputed, an article notwithſtanding of ſuch ground & foundation in the Church, that without it the preaching of the goſpel would become vaine: 1. Cor. 15.17. And yet notwithſtanding it was ſo called and helde of the Apoſtle for the true and holy Church of God. Among the Galathians it was yet worſe, beeing for the moſt part of them turned aſide, by the falſe Apoſtles, from the principal ground-plat and foundation of the Chriſtian Church, namely, from the free iuſtification, by the only ſatisfaction of one onelyonly Ieſus Chriſt: and yet all this notwithſtanding, Saint Paul giueth them the name of Church. The reaſon is, as touching the Corinthians, becauſe they ſhewed not themſelues incorrigible and paſt amendment, and that, though there were ſome but badlie inſtructed in the article of the reſurrection of the dead, notwithſtanding the bodie of the Church did ſtil retaine and hold the truth. The Galathians alſo had not banded themſelues againſt the doctrin of the Apoſtle, but were only turned ſomewhat aſide by a light headdines, and yet not al of them, as is to be preſuppoſed.
The like is alſo to bee ſeene by that which the Apoſtle writeth vntounto Timothy, and likewiſe by the ſecond of Saint Peter, and that of Saint Iude, that there were already falſe teachers, and wicked Diſciples euen in the boſome of the Churches, which notwithſtanding for all theſe imperfections, left not to be called true Churches: as a man leaueth not to bee a man, though he hauehave ſome wert or ſome vlcers & biles in one part of his body. But the caſe is otherwiſe of a body altogether rotten and corrupted in the nobleſt and principalleſt partes: whereunto the Synagogues of the Iewes may bee compared, after that they ſtubburnely reſiſted the preaching of the Apoſtle, from which, for this cauſe, hee vtterly diuided and disioyned the Church of Epheſus, Act. 19.9. and 28.28. and himſelfe alſo hath giuen vsus a rule hereof, Philip. 3.2. Neither are we otherwiſe to beleeue or to doe, touching ſuch aſſemblies and congregations (be they great or little) which notoriouſly and ſtubburnly oppoſe themſelues againſt the principall and fundamental articles of Chriſtian Religion, as that aſſembly doth at this daie which ſitteth vponupon the ſeauen hils, and oppoſeth it ſelfe directlie againſt the kingdome of Ieſus Chriſt, whoſe name notwithſtanding it falſely borroweth, and therefore we hauehave it iuſtly in execration and hold it accurſed, following the doctrine of the Apoſtle: Galat. 1.8. To come therefore to our purpoſe, we muſt take heede in this caſe, how we ſtand in ſuch ſort vponupon the defectes and imperfections of one Church or more as therefore not to take them for Churches: but we muſt vſe thoſe ordinarie means which God hath appointed, to bear with that which is to be borne withal, to remedie that which may be remedied, and to take heede to our ſelues we bee not ſmutted, as they ſaie, among colliers: applying all our ſtudie and endeuour to mutual edification, as the Prophets and Apoſtles teach vsus, both by their doctrine and by their example.
3 It is verie true notwithſtanding that the ſpouſe ſpeaketh here of another kind of blackneſſe, to wit, of the outward ouerthrowe and diſſipation of the Church by the vehemencie of perſecutions: which is the cauſe that many making no difference betweene the glittering beuty of the kingdomes of this world, and the ſpirituall beuty of that kingdome, which is not of this world: and ſuffering themſelues to be dazled and blinded with that which hath onelyonly a certaine outward gloſſe: eyther enter not at al into the Church, or if happily they bee entered, retire themſelues afterward out of it, to returne againe to their vomit, 2. Pet. 2.22. For fault of hearkening vntounto this warning and aduertiſement, not to rely or ſtand vponupon this outward black and hideous appearance of the croſſe; but contrariwiſe to waigh and conſider well the true and natiue beutie of the Church, in the middeſt of her greateſt afflictions. According hereunto the Lord hauing warned vsus that his kingdom commeth not with ſuch obſeruation, Luk. 17.20. hath ſaid alſo, That he ſhal be happy which ſhal not be offended at him, who notwithſtanding is called a man of ſorrowes and griefes, and ſo disfigured, Eſaie 53.3. that hee is compared vntounto a worme of the earth: Pſal. 22.6. to whom notwithſtāding the church muſt be made conformable to bee the true church, Rom. 8.29. in ſuch ſort, that ſo far it is that the croſſe maketh the Church not to be knowen, that on the contrarie it is the true mark thereof being giuen to none but to the true beleeuers, to ſuffer for the name of God, the Apoſtle crying out, That this is it whereof he wil boaſt himſelfe: Gal. 6.14. Mat. 5.10. Phil. 1.19. and elſewhere throughout the Scripture. Hereunto is referred the ſecond point which I hauehave touched, being contained in this, that the Church which called her ſelfe black, ſaith that ſhe is Browne, as if ſhe ſhould ſaie to theſe Daughters of Ieruſalem, Comparing my ſelfe with you, who are ſo freſh and ſo faire, it ſeemeth indeed that there is nothing more black then I: but yet if your eies be good, you ſhal find that albeit I be browne and ſunneburnt by the parching of the ſunne, yet am I not for al my tanned hew, an Arabian or Aethiopian. For ouer and beſides that which hath beene ſaid of the happie end & iſſue of the afflictions of the Church, there is an exceeding difference, between the moſt miſerable eſtate of thoſe who are blatched before God, by his iuſt vengeances, or which are left remaining in their naturall blacknes: and betweene the confidences and aſſurances of the children of god afflicted for righteouſnes, and for the glory of the Lorde, who beſtoweth this great fauor and grace vponupon them to be glorified in them. Farther if we conſider of the eſtate of the church in her greateſt afflictions, it is not ſo miſerable as men think it is. For as the Apoſtle teacheth vsus, God is faithful, and neuer ſuffereth ſuch as are his to bee tryed aboue that which they are able to beare, 1. Cor. 10.13. And therefore verie true it is that wee are preſſed in euerie ſort, but not craſed or broken, beeing in want and penurie wee are not deſtitute and diſtreſſed, beeing perſecuted we are not forſaken, being beaten downe we periſh not, 2. Cor. 4.8. In a word if we ought to iudge of the nature of thinges, according to their laſt effect and working, this browne or tanned colour is the meanes to come vntounto our true and perfect whitenes, the ſufferings of this world beeing in no point comparable vntounto the glory which wayteth for vsus, 2. Cor. 4.17. the waie vntounto which is the croſſe, or ſufferings, I meane for righteouſnes and for Ieſus chriſt: Matt. 5.11. This is the cōfort which we ought at this day to oppoſe againſt theſe Daughters of the terreſtriall and earthlie Ieruſalem, who think vsus ſo poore and miſerable, not knowing what our riches are, & how yet at this day it is in Aegypt that there is darcknes, and light in the land of Goſen onelie. Let vsus giuegive them leaue therefore to iudge of our coulour black or browne, as they liſt; it ſufficeth vsus that the ſpirit of God iudgeth altogither otherwiſe, to whoſe iudgement we appeale, being aſſured we ſhal get and win our cauſe.
4 The third point of this aduertiſement or leſſon, namely, that which the ſpouſe addeth, That this browne colour of hers is hapned her not from her birth, but by the means of the ſonnes of her Mother, who droue her out of doores, and ſet her in the parching of the ſunne, beeing conſtrained to keepe her ſelfe among ſtrange vineyards, whereas ſhee ought to hauehave kept her owne vineyard: this I ſaie, containeth alſo an excellent doctrine and inſtruction. For the vnderſtanding whereof, wee muſt firſt of all note, that by this natural beutie and fairenes, with which this accident ſunne-burning is contrary matched, is not vnderſtoode or meant the qualitie or condition of the children of God in their firſt generation and birth, according to the which they are borne in themſelues the children of wrath as are others, Eph. 2.3. and conſequentlie are moſt foule, vile, and filthy: by reaſon whereof, the Church, which is the aſſemblie of the faithfull, is compared, in reſpect of her firſt eſtate, vntounto a foule and filthie maidē child comming out of the womb of her mother, Ezech. 16.6. but we muſt refer the original and beginning of this beutie, vntounto her free vocation and calling or ſpiritual newe-birth, Ioh. 3.6. and to that which foloweth in Ezech. 16.4. and the other verſes following. Hereunto accordeth that which is ſaid of Abraham himſelfe, Ioſua 24.2. to that beuty, that is to ſay, to that happie eſtate compared to the marriage of the Lord and of his church, (of the fianſailes whereof the contract is already made & paſſed in moſt excellent magnificencie in the mount of Sinai, then when the tabernacle with all the ſeruice thereof was eſtabliſhed, the bodie whereof is our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, Col. 2.17. Heb. 9.) to that beauty, I ſay, and brightnes, which againe ſhewed it ſelfe yet greater, in the time of Dauid and Salomon, (ſo long as hee continued wiſe) this ſunne-burnt hew of hers, which is here ſpoken of, is oppoſed: which may bee vnderſtoode after two ſorts: namely, referring it either to the great and horrible confuſion, which hapned more then once after the death of Ioſua, vntil the time of Dauid (as is to bee ſeene in the hiſtory of the Iudges) or els ſpeaking of other moſt ſtrange deſolations, which happened both in Iuda, vnderunder the moſt part of the kings which were of the race of Dauid, as alſo eſpeciallie in the kingdome of Iſrael, vntill the time that the poore Church was exiled and baniſhed among the barbarous and ſauadge nations, yea and after the returne from out of the captiuity of Babylon, aſwel vnderunder the empire of the Greekes as alſo the Romans, euen to the comming and departure of Ieſus Chriſt, which confuſions and deſolations of the church wee maie ſay to hauehave beene in this place prophetically foretold by Salomon. And as for that which might heere bee replied, that mention is heere by name made of that baniſhment and driuing forth of hers which befel her, not by ſtraungers, but by ſuch as were within, whom the ſpouſe calleth the ſonnes of her mother: I aunſwere firſt, that the moſt notorious deſolations of the church, are not thoſe which hapned vntounto the church of the Iewes, both by the people bordering about thē, & ſowed and ſcattered among them (whom they ſhould hauehave rooted out and exterminated) and by thoſe which were farther remoued, I meane, the Aſſyrians, Chaldaeans, Aegyptians & others, of whom the holy & ſacred hiſtories make mention: but thoſe which hapned by the negligence & wickednes of the gouerners & rulers, as is in the hiſtorie of the Iudges expreſlie to be ſeen, and in the ciuil war, Chap. 12. yea vnderunder Sampſon himſelf, whoſe life doth verie well declare, the little regard which the Leuits then had of their duty. But this is eſpecially to be ſeene in the ſtorie of the ciuil war againſt the Beniamites. As for the hiſtory of the wicked kings, this is yet more notably to be ſeen aſwel in the kingdome of Iſrael, where the whole publick ſeruice of God was ouerthrowen and ruined, and the Leuites themſelues driuen forth and expulſed, ſo far that the reſt of the poore Prophets were conſtrained to bee hidden in holes and dennes, and that by the ſingular bountie and goodnes of one man, there to be noriſhed and ſuſtained with bread and water: 1. King. 18.13. as alſo in the kingdome of Iuda, in which the faithful ſeruants of God had no worſe nor no crueller enimies then the Kings and the Prieſtes, namely vnderunder Achaz: 2. King. 16.12. and vnderunder Manaſſes: 2. King. 21.9. Secondly it is to bee noted that when the Lord exerciſed his iuſt iudgements vponupon his people by ſtraunge nations neare or far off, it was in manner alwaies becauſe of the outrages and enormities committed within, both by the prieſts, and by other the gouernours and officers, ſo that this poore deſolate ſpouſe doth iuſtly and by good right impute al this miſchiefe and miſery which hath ſo disfigured and marred her fauour, to the ſonnes of her Mother, who draue her forth out of her owne vineyard, and ſet her foorth to the open parching of the ſunne, that is to al the iniuries and contumelies which might happen to a poore vagabound ſubiected and made a ſlaue to ſtrangers her enemies.
5 To go on, we are to obſerue that it is not in this place alone that the heritage and poſſeſſion aſſigned and allotted to the Church of the Iewes (I meane the land of Chanaan) is compared to a vineyard well planted, well husbanded, enuironed and compaſſed about with good ditches for her defence and ſafegard, and bleſſed moſt plentifully with al manner of bleſſings: but alſo Pſal. 80. by Aſaph in the time of Dauid and Salomon, and afterward by Eſay 5.1. Ier. 2.21. Eze. 17. which was afterward moſt largely and amply expounded by the Lord himſelf: Mat. 21.33. Neither is it without moſt great and waighty reaſon that the holy Ghoſt vſeth this ſimilitude as being marueilous apt & conuenient, ſeeing there is no kind of poſſeſſion more profitable and fruitfull, or which requireth more care and diligence to bee husbanded and trimmed. And becauſe that as there is but one god, ſo there is but one faith & one Church, as alſo at that time there was but one onelyonly land conſecrated and halowed vntounto God, one onelyonly people compriſed in the couenant, one onelyonly place eſtabliſhed and conſecrated in Ieruſalem for the outwarde ordinarie ſeruice of the Lord: therefore the ſpouſe ſpeaketh here but of one vineyard in the ſingular number, to the which the ſtraunge vineyards are contrary oppoſed in the plural number, becauſe falſe worſhippes and religions, and falſe Churches are without number.
6 Shee complaineth therefore that the ſonnes of her mother, ſuffered her not to bee maintained in the poſſeſſion of her owne vineyard where ſhee might hauehave beene well brought vp and preſerued vnderunder couert, in her bewty. And if a man demaund the queſtion wherefore ſhee called not rather them of whom ſhee complaineth, ſonnes of her father or her bretheren, then ſonnes of her mother; I anſwere, that this was therefore, becauſe ſhe meant by this meanes ſo to ſpare her mother and her halfe brethren, by a modeſty verie ſitting and beſeeming the perſon vnderunder which the true Church is here repreſented vntounto vsus, that notwithſtanding ſhee would not keepe it ſilent, that her mother had forgotten herſelfe, I mean this very ſame Church conſidered as it were in an other perſon, the mother of her, which here complaineth, to wit, in aſmuch as ſhe ordered and ruled herſelfe well at the beginning, but after that ſhee had brought forth this we here ſpeake of vntounto the Lorde, ſhee was turned aſide afterwardes after ſtraunge gods in all manner of outragious diſſolution, as the Prophets ſo oft and in ſo manie places vpbraide her. She confeſſeth therfore that thoſe of whō ſhee complaineth, that is to ſay, the wicked gouernours and falſe paſtours, are indeede iſſued and deſcended from her mother, but not in true and lawfull wedlocke, as is at large handled by Ezechiel in his 16. Chapter aboue alleadged, and vnderunder the names of two ſiſters repreſenting the two kingdomes of Iſraell and of Iuda, Chapter 23. and by the other Prophetes. This is then as much, as if ſhee called them in plaine termes baſtardes, as in the Pſalme 144.11. but that, as I ſaide before, this manner of ſpeaking is more milde and modeſt, which Dauid alſo in the perſon of Chriſt vſeth, Pſalme 69.8.
7 And we muſt note well theſe woordes, That the ſonnes of her mother were angrie againſt this spouſe. The cauſe hereof is elſwhere declared to be, becauſe he which doth euil hateth the light, for that his workes are by it reprooued, Ioh. 3.19. and becauſe alſo the Church is not of the worlde, the amitie wherof is enmitie with God, Iames 4.4. Behold then how the world vſeth it ſelfe, which beeing in the middeſt of the church of God hateth it without cauſe; who is angry alſo, but after an other faſhion. For the Church is not angry with the perſons, but with the ſinnes of them who ſeeke their owne deſtruction, whom ſhe alſo ſeeketh to drawe thence by all meanes, requiting them with good for their euill. Beſides, it is well to bee noted, that theſe baſtard brethren vſe not onlie miſchieuous counſaile againſt their ſiſter, but when it ſo pleaſeth God, diſpoſſeſſe her for a time, and enioy the vineyarde themſelues vntill the Lord reſtore againe the heritage to the right owner and poſſeſſor, Pſal. 80. and Math. 20.
8 This place therefore containeth a moſt excellent doctrine, and ſuch, as is of all other moſt neceſſarie for vsus in theſe daies, to bee a warning vntounto them, who in our time think it ſo ſtrange a point of doctrine which we teach, and which is moſt cleare and euident, namely that the deſolation of the chriſtian church is proceeded from thoſe wicked vinekeepers, who hauehave laide it ſo waſt, that ſcarcely there remained any appearance of the vineyarde within theſe ſeuenty years. This ſeemeth I ſay ſo ſtrange a matter vntounto them, that this is at this day the point, whereon many doe eſpecially ſtand, and will not themſelues acknowledge, or abide that others ſhould confeſſe the poore church was euer ſo blacke burnt, which recouereth notwithſtanding by litle and litle her bewtifull hew, and deſireth to be repoſſeſſed in her vineyard (which is not at this day one onelyonly region and countrie, or one only city, but the whole vniuerſall worlde which ought to acknowledge his Lorde and redeemer, the ſonne of God) of all which countrie ſhee hath been by litle & litle diſpoſſeſſed, by thoſe two Sees oppoſed to that of Ieſus Chriſt, the one in the Eaſt, the other in the Weſt. Wee ſee howe the ſame happened ſo oft in the church of the Iewes, that it may be ſaid that amongſt al thoſe which ruled & gouerned it, we ſhall hardly find a douzen which were not rather deſtroyers then builders (as the ſacred hiſtories can witneſſe) that being in the later times accompliſhed, eſpecially againſt the proper perſon of the Lorde, which was foretolde Pſal. 118.22. Eſay. 28.6. Matth. 23.33. the city of Hieruſalem being ſpecially called the murdering citie, Matth. 23.37. They muſt therefore now bring vsus forth ſome propheſie or pomiſe, by which the priuilege may appear, which they ſay is granted vntounto the city and See of Rome, to be not only the mother city of the vniuerſall Church, as ſhee was of the auncient Romane empire, but alſo to hauehave this prerogatiue, that ſhee can neuer erre. But ſo far ſhe is from being ſuch, that contrarywiſe ſhe is pointed out as it were by the finger to be the See of Apoſtaſie, both by Saint Paul, 2. Theſ. 2.3. and by Saint Iohn in the Apocalyps, and by many auncient fathers both Greeke and Latin, although they in their time ſawe not that which was alreadie before their eies. Neither is this come to paſſe onelyonly in this See which is the Image of the beaſt, namely of the Romane Empire which it ſucceeded, but alſo in other Churches of all the foure corners and quarters of the worlde, being a thing eaſie to be ſhewen, that according to that which S. Paul foretold, Act. 20.30. there is ſcant any hereſie riſen in the church, ſince the time of the Apoſtles, which was not either firſt forged, or afterward ſet forwarde and coloured, by falſe Biſhops, Prieſts, or Monckes. And yet in our time beholde thoſe which hinder the work of the Lord, and will not ſuffer that the vineyarde, which they hauehave ſo vnhappily and pittifully handeled, and as much as lay in them vtterly deſtroied and laid waſt, be reſtabliſhed in the handes of faithful paſtours, which notwithſtanding the Lorde of the vineyarde will doe in his good time, hauing heard the ſighes and lamentations of his poore deſolate ſpouſe, as it hath pleaſed him alreadie to beginne to do in ſome places of his great grace and mercy. Amen.
According to this doctrine, &c.