Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs, Argument
¶THE ARGVMENT OF THE XLV. Pſalme, ſeruing for an Argument and preface or abridgement of this booke of the Canticle of Canticles or ſong of ſonges of Salomon.
THis Pſalme as the whole booke of the Canticle of Canticles is to bee taken and altogether to be vnderſtood in a spirituall ſenſe: and therefore there is no appearance or ſhewe of reaſon to take it as ſome hauehave done, for a marriadge ſong of Salomon and Pharoes daughter. For beſides, that the title which is in Hebrewe ouer many of the Pſalmes woulde hauehave made ſome mention touching this point, wee ſee howe this marriadge is condemned, and that worthily by the holy ghoſt, 1. Kings. 11. ſo farre it is from all reaſon to take that alliaunce & marriage of his to hauehave bin a figure of ſo holy & ſacred a one as that is which is propoſed vntounto vsus in this Pſal. We hauehave therefore in this pſalme an excellent and moſt diuine treatie touching the moſt ſtrait and spirituall bonde and alliaunce which is betweene Ieſus Chriſt and his Church, eueryevery point thereof being proſecuted and continued vnderunder ſuch formes and phraſes of speach as are cuſtomarily vſed in the treaty of the conditions of a naturall marriadge betweene ſuch perſons as are of an high degree and qualitie: as the Prophets alſo hauehave in many places retained the very ſame termes of Bridegrome and ſpouſe and of marriadge ſpeaking of Ieſus Chriſt and of his Church, as the Apoſtle hath likewiſe vſed the ſame, namely, Rom. 7.2. & 2. Cor. 11. and Ephſ. 5.
We are therefore to note in the firſt place that as in the matter of mariadge the fianſailes or betrothings are firſt ſolemnized & then afterward the marriadge, ſo Chriſt alſo as the bridegrome of the Church ought to bee in ſome ſort conſidered after two diuerſe manners, firſt according vntounto his infirmitie, which may bee compared vntounto the fianſailes: and ſecondly according vntounto his glory which he obtained after his reſurrection, beeing nowe the true huſband of his Church, repleniſhed himſelfe with glory, though ſhee bee yet remayning in part vponupon earth. Now as touching this pſalme Chriſt is therein propoſed vntounto vsus, as being already in his glory, and as he who hath begonne already to accompliſh in deede this holy marriadge with his Church.
Chriſt therefore as huſband is this true king of his Church, ſo perfite in respect of himſelfe in all beautie, that there is nothing wanting, verſ. 2. As touching the good grace he hath to winne all heartes vntounto himſelfe, and euen to chaunge and turn them altogether, the ſame alſo appeareth in the preaching of the gospell accompanied with a vertue & power of the spirite which cannot be expreſſed. Himſelfe in aſmuch as hee hath taken vponupon him the nature of man, hath receiued in the ſame nature the ſpirite of God without meaſure, in ſuch aboundaunt wiſe that he poured it as it were ouer in all his ſaintes.
He is girded alſo with a ſword, and that not in ſhewe onelyonly without effect, but which he draweth and vnſheatheth in deede, namely then when he maketh his worde to pearce vntounto the diuiding of the ſoule & of the ſpirite: verſ. 3.
He is beſides deſcribed to bee furniſhed and prouided with arrowes with which he ſhooteth thorough & transpearceth all his enemies, ver. 5. which maketh alſo that al praiſe ought principally & ſouerainly to be yeelded vntounto him, who ſheweth himſelfe of ſo ready and mighty a power that hee is able to ſuccour and defende ſuch as are his, & to breake in ſunder and ouerthrow the ſtrength of ſuch as rebell againſt him. ver. 5. To this purpoſe he is introduced as being trained in his chariot by theſe three horſes, Truth, Meekenes, and Righteouſnes, which are conducted by the word as by him that guideth this Chariot, verſ. 4.
Nowe to declare at large the ſenſe and meaning of eueryevery of theſe things here propoſed, it would require a great volume. Notwithſtanding we may as it were by the way obſerue ſomewhat out of them, if we make a compariſon on the contrarie ſide of the traine they kepe, and on what chariot they cauſe them-ſelues to be carried, I meane the kinges & Princes who ſerue that maſter which is oppoſed altogether vntounto this head of the Church, in whoſe whole furniture and prouiſion is nothing but Ambition, Pride, Inſolencie, Crueltie, Diſſolution, with an horrible trāpling vnderunder & oppreſſing of them which are their ſubiects. We muſt alſo diligently note that which is added, that albeit the worlde will not accept this moſt iuſt and moſt milde gouernement of his, that notwithſtanding this ſo iuſt a king gouerneth alwaies moſt happily, & that the more men oppoſe and ſet themſelues againſt him, the more hee maketh his power to appeare, whether it be in that ſo iuſt and aſſured defence which hee cauſeth thoſe who are his to feele, or whether he ſtrike his enemies within vntounto death by a moſt diuine power, namely when hee caſteth them into a reprobate ſenſe to make them-ſelues the inſtruments of their own ruine & deſtruction. Now albeit theſe things come to paſſe eueryevery day, inaſmuch as this good king doth alwaies defend all his elect, to the end that none of them periſh, & inaſmuch as he doth vengeance vponupon their enemies according as it pleaſeth him to ſhewe the markes thereof: notwithſtanding this appeared moſt expreſlie in the firſt beginning of this marriage, as it ſeemeth to be here in ſome ſort touched, when he ſhewed ſuch vengeaunce on that vngrateful ſynagogue of the Iewes obſtinatly perſeuering in her incredulity, in which ſhe continueth vntounto this date, reſeruing notwithſtanding the remnaunt of his elect according vntounto his expreſſe mercy which he promiſed vntounto the race of Abraham, howe rebellious ſo euer it doth ſhew it ſelfe.
Now after this king hath obtained ſuch a victorie, hee is here ſeated on his ſeat of Iuſtice and Righteouſneſſe, which is called eternal and euerlaſting, ver. 6. to giuegive vsus to vnderſtand that it is not of this woorld, and that not onelyonly becauſe that Iuſtice eſtabliſheth the ſeat of the king in this world, as it is written, Prou. 27.28. but especially becauſe here the queſtion is of a king who is together both true God eternal, and true Son of Dauid according vntounto the fleſhe, vntounto whom alſo in aſmuch as he is man is giuen all power both in heauen and in earth, beeing exalted aboue euerie name, as this place is alleaged, Heb. 1.8. in ſo much that the Church hath no more manie kinges, then one woman can hauehave manie huſbandes: neither is he whom ſhe hath for her huſband ſo God, that he is not alſo man, ſeeing otherwiſe the marriage would not agree betweene him & the Church which is gathered from among men: as neither is hee man in ſuch ſort, that hee is not God too, becauſe that otherwiſe the Church ſhould not hauehave an head and huſband mighty enough to defend her.
Afterwarde is declared the moſt righteous gouernment of this goodlie kingdome, to wit, of the Church, ver. 7. for there is no kingdome but the Church which is gouerned by the true rule of a moſt iuſt and moderate diſcretion, bee it in publicke charges or in priuate duties and particular charges, becauſe it is in it properlie that the spirite of God doth raign, which ordereth & directeth indeed the ſenſes, & gouerneth the affections of the true faithful & beleeuing. And the reaſon of this point which is added is of great waight, namely, becauſe that this king of the Church both in respect of his perſon as alſo of his office, is annointed aboue his companions, that is to ſaie, we muſt ſet him by himſelfe in another order & degree then other kings are. For euen in the moſt excellent kings, yea in Dauid himſelfe there hauehave beene many defects and imperfections, but in ſuch a king as this is there is nothing but all perfection.
As for that which is added of the moſt exquiſite robes and veſtiments of this king, verſ. 8. this is referred partly vntounto that proper voice which the father cauſed to be heard when he was baptized, ſaying, This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleaſed▪ by which voice is giuen vsus to vnderſtand the ful and perfect reconciliation with the father by that moſt ſweet odor aſwel of the integrity and righteouſneſſe reſiant in the parſon of Chriſt our Immanuel, as alſo his obedience vntounto death euen the death of the croſſe. Theſe ſame veſtiments alſo and robes of his are referred vntounto that which the Apoſtle ſaith, 2. Cor. 2.15. we are the ſweet odor of Chriſt as of him who hath beene made vntounto vsus Wiſdome, Righteouſnes, and Sanctification, & Redemption, 1. Cor. 1.30. which bleſſings hee powreth downe vponupon vsus from thoſe pallaces of Iuory, which are thoſe heauenly places where hee is ſeated, and from whence hee looketh vponupon vsus, and from whence alſo he cauſeth theſe bleſsings & graces of his, to flow downe vponupon vsus, yea his owne ſelfe (as we may ſo ſay) after a ſpiritual maner & faſhiō, & ſuch as is vtterly incōprehenſible vntounto vsus.
This king and Bridegrome being thus deſcribed vntounto vsus, the condition and eſtate of the Church his spouſe, and of their whole marriage is moſt amply ſet downe and handled verſ. 9. Nowe in the diſcourſe and handling heereof there are adioyned vntounto the Iſraelites and faithfull Iewes which properly repreſent this spouſe, certaine others which are the kinges Daughters alſo to be her companions: al which notwithſtanding appertaining but to one huſband repreſent vntounto vsus by this meanes the perſon of one onelyonly Church truely Catholicke, that is to ſaie vniuerſal, but yet in ſuch ſort that they are as it were placed after this principal spouſe of the people of Iſrael: becauſe the firſt right appertaineth firſt of al vntounto the holie Prophets & Apoſtles of the nation of the Iewes and to al the other which the Apoſtle calleth the natural braunches, by whoſe miniſterie alſo we hauehave been led and conducted into the chamber of this king, with whoſe gold and glittering ſhining we are made bright and ſhining. Wee are farther to note touching the ornamentes of theſe Queens which are the body of the Church, that it is not ſaid that they tooke them out of their own cabinets and ward-robes, but they receiued thē of the king himſelfe, to the end it ſhould be acknowledged that whatſoeuer is faire & goodly proceedeth not, as it is moſt true, but from his mere grace & fauor who hath couered our pouerty & nakednes. Wherupon it foloweth that ſhe ought properly to be held & taken for the true Catholicke Church whom wee ſee to come foorth in this place with her companions in al humilitie with that rich crowne of the onelyonly righteouſnes of Chriſt her king and ſauiour, embraced by faith and freely imputed & allowed her: although together with this righteouſnes of faith there muſt appeare beſides in the faithfull an actuall righteouſnes, but neuer perfect and entire, but onelyonly begun and delineated forth by little and little, by which notwithſtanding a man maie alwaies diſtinguiſh the children of light from the children of darkenes, as it ſeemeth our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt had alſo respect thereunto, Math. 22.11.
Al theſe things being thus handled, in which almoſt all the ſecretes of our ſaluation are compriſed, the Prophet addreſſeth his speache vntounto the Church or rather vntounto eueryevery member thereof: ver. 10.11. exhorting to ſtudy to pleaſe this Bridegroome who cheriſheth and fauoureth her ſo much, ſhewing withal how ſhe ſhall doe it, namely if in hearkening diligently vntounto him (according as faith proceedeth of that which a man heareth of God himſelfe, and without which a man cannot pleaſe God) and ordering her ſelfe altogether vntounto him (which is done if ſhee take narrow heede vntounto his wil which is ſeene in the glaſſe of the Lawe) ſhee beginneth to rid her ſelfe in the whole traine and tenour of her life from al wicked spots and defilements of corruption which ſhe hath in herſelfe imprinted in her both from the originall and beginning of her nature & being, and from the nouriture of her Parents as alſo of al ſuch as after by cuſtome & cōtinuance are growen according vntounto the fleſh & deeply rooted in her, that ſo ſhee maie learne the better to obey this onelie Bridegroome of hers as her true head and Lord for euer.
Afterward there is adioined an exhortation which is vſed in respect of the ſmall beginninges of the Chriſtian Church ſuch as it was when it began to take her firſt beginning in Ieruſalem, ver. 12.13.
For it is eaſie to bee ſeene by the Actes of the Apoſtles what the Church might bee according vntounto the fleſh when there were in the firſt aſſembly but threeſcore perſons and thoſe poore people and of no countenance or appearaunce, and therefore hee comforteth her and foretelleth that it ſhal come to paſſe, that they euen of Tyre it ſelfe, vnderunder whom he comprehendeth the ſtrange nations & the very mightieſt of the world, ſhould ioine themſelues vntounto her. And yet for al this he warneth her in good time that al this goodly beutiful ſhew and ſetting forth whereof he maketh mentiō, & which he ſaith is to be priced aboue al the gold in the world without cōpariſon & whatſoeuer ornament the greateſt Queens of this world might hauehave, ought to be within & in the hart & not without to be apparant only vntounto the eies according vntounto the faſhion & maner of the world, ver. 13.14.15. & that yet a daie ſhoulde come when it ſhoulde appeare ſo high and magnificent in this Queene and in her Daughters, that it ſhould ſurmount and exceede all the magnificency the mind of man were able to conceiue, namely then when we ſhal meet Chriſt as the Apoſtle speaketh, and when beeing entred with him into his pallace we ſhall be and abide with him for euer.
Now to conclude if any man demand what this Bride ſhal doe while ſhe waiteth & expecteth the laſt accōpliſhment of this ſouerain bliſſe & happines which this blisfull Bridegroome ſhal in the end beſtow vponupon the church his true ſpouſe: it is ſaid that this ſpouſe for the time ſhe waiteth for ſhal not ceaſe to bear or bring forth children vntounto this huſband ver. 16. yea & thoſe excellent & good children, & ſuch as ſhal reſemble & proue like vntounto their true anceſtors, I meane the ancient Prophets & Patriarches: & ſuch as ſhal be kings to rule ouer al the coaſts & quarters of the world, hauing therein by the vertue of the ſpirit of this great king ſubdued and ouercome ſatan, ſin, death and themſelues. Whence it foloweth that then here ſhal be in eueryevery reſpect a moſt perfect mariage, and ſuch a one as ſhal endure for euer.