Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs, Sermon 13
THE THIRTEENTH 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 10. and 11. verſes.
10 Thy cheeks are comely with borders of ſtones, and thy necke with chaines.
11 We wil make thee borders of gold, with buttons of ſiluer.
1 The friendlie careſſes and louing intertainement of the bridegroome receiuing his ſpouſe, that is to ſay his Church, which was for a time in ſome ſort straied from him.
2 We muſt make a diſtinction between the fianſailes, the ſpowſailes, and ful conſummation of this ſpiritual marriage.
3 The borders of iewels and chaines of this ſpouſe ſerue little for defence & patronage of weomens exceſſe & diſſolution in apparell, defiling thereby the chriſtian church, with anſwere to the contrarie obiections.
4 The rule and meaſure which ought to be obſerued in the cost and brauery of apparel.
5 Application of this doctrine to the Church of Geneua and others, aſwell to men as to weomen.
6 What the borders of ſtones & other iewels are, which are giuen to this ſpouſe, by her Bridegroome.
7 A complaint both touching the defect as alſo the abuſe of theſe nuptial ornaments which God hath at this day beſtowed vponupon his Church.
8 In what ſenſe expres mētion is made of the cheeks & of the neck of the ſpouſe.
9 The ſpouſe doth yet looke for more precious iewels in the daie of the ful conſummation of this marriage.
10 Wherefore the Bridegroome ſpeaketh of himſelfe in the plural number.
THAT which we hauehave to expound as alſo a great part of this Canticle is framed in maner of mutuall careſſes and louely entertainement of the Bridegroome and the ſpouſe reunited and ioyned againe with her husband: vnderunder the allegorie and figure of which is declared this infinite dilection and louelove wherewith Ieſus Chriſt loueth and cheariſheth his Church, adorning and enriching it with moſt precious giftes: and on the other ſide alſo the reciprocall louelove of the ſpouſe towardes her Bridegroome, whoſe excellency and perfection ſhee cannot ſufficiently praiſe and commend, ſeeking in him alone her whole hearts deſire and contentment.
2 But for the vnderſtanding of all theſe thinges wee muſt conſider three degrees in this holy marriage, namely the fianſailes made by woordes of the future time vnderunder the auncient couenant: the eſpouſailes by wordes of the preſent, which we muſt referre vntounto the comming of Ieſus Chriſt in perſon, and preaching of the Goſpel, 2. Cor. 11.2. and the full conſummation of this marriage which we looke for, whereof mention is made in the parable of the virgins, Matth. 25. I ſaie the full conſummation, for wee muſt alwaies vnderſtand, that during the time of theſe fianſailes, and ſince, the ſpiritual vertue of Ieſus Chriſt is effectually powred into this ſpouſe, to engender in her the fruits of righteouſneſſe, whereunto we ought to referre that which is ſaid, Ezech. 16.8. and Rom. 7.4. and Eph. 5.30. but God is not yet all in all, nor ſhal be vntil the ſecond comming, 1. Cor. 15.28. This therefore which is here ſaid, is to be referred vntounto the time of the fianſailes, as the Bridegroome alſo declareth the ſame in expreſſe termes in the place of Ezechiel aboue alleadged.
3 But to go on, if any one alleadge this place for the mainteinance of womens exceſſe and diſſolution in their apparell and other their ſuperfluities: the aunſwere thereunto is ready, that the holie Ghoſt ſpeaketh far otherwiſe, 1. Pet. 3.4. and by Saint Paul, 1. Tim. 2.9. And if hereupon anie man replie that then the Lord hath not alwaies giuen one and the ſame rule, it is eaſily aunſwered that we ſhal find the cleane contrary, if we conſider of things aright, namely that the holy Ghoſt is neuer contrary vntounto himſelfe. Gold and ſiluer are the good creatures of God, and wee finde by moſt certaine examples of the holie fathers, that of a long time the vſe thereof hath beene not onelyonly in buying and ſelling, but alſo in ſome ſortes of ornamentes and iewels. But firſt of al let vsus not think that curious woorkemanſhip and ſuperfluities in this point were therefore rife and common among the holy fathers. Secondly the hiſtories thē ſelues teſtifie vntounto vsus the ſimplicitie they vſed in ſuch ornamentes, whereof among others the hiſtorie written in Gen. 24.22. may be a ſufficient witnes where it is ſaide, that Abrahams ſeruant gaue Rebecca iewels of golde, but of verie little value: and to ſhew vsus how farre Rebecca was (notwithſtanding ſhe were a maiden of a verie great and noble houſe, although after the maner of thoſe times kings were ſheepheards, as we ſay in common prouerbe) from beeing nicely and daintily brought vp, it is ſaid, that ſhee went to fetch water at the well with her pitcher vponupon her ſhoulder. And when mention is made of the Daughters of that mighty and exceeding rich king Dauid, it is ſaid onelyonly that they were clad with garments of diuerſe colours 2. Sam. 13.18. it may bee like vntounto the Almaine Maidens in theſe daies. And what brauerie think we was there in either gold or ſiluer in Salomons time, when men made no more reckoning thereof, becauſe of the plenty of it, then they did of leade or of ſtone, 2. Chron. 9.27. Thirdly and laſtlie as the Lord hath lifted vp kings and other lordes in authority, ſo no doubt but he would hauehave perſons and eſtates made the more honorable by ſome ſuch marks, as we ſee it in the deſcription of the magnificencie of Salomon. Which thing notwithſtanding proueth not an acception of perſons with God.
4 On the contrarie we muſt cal them, as they are indeede, fantaſtical men, who would hauehave al the world appareled after one maner & faſhion, as alſo thoſe who would bound & limit the vſe of ſuch external things by neceſſity alone, as if it were not apparant & notorious that God himſelfe hath beſtowed vpō men a thouſand things more then neceſſity requireth. But hereby to think to excuſe the intolerable daintineſſe & pomp of ſmall and great, were nothing elſe but vilanouſlie to abuſe the woord of God, to cloke and couer that which no man can ſufficiently cry out vponupon and condemne. And indeede wee ſee what vengeance God hath taken vponupon the Daughters of Sion for this cauſe, as is particularly deſcribed, Eſai. 3.16. And thus you ſee what we are to think of gold and ſiluer & other things of like nature. But who can excuſe this broydered and frizled haire, this painting and ſliking of faces, with other ſuch filth? And therefore we neede not maruaile that the Apoſtles made the like reckoning of gold and ſiluer and broydered haire, ſorting them al in one rancke. For in truth albeit the diſtinction which I hauehave ſet downe hauehave his place, notwithſtanding it is a marueilous harde thing to keepe a meaſure. In ſomuch that euen among them, for whom theſe thinges are not vnlawfull, they are wiſer which vſe them little, and they are moſt wiſe of all, who to cauſe others of meaner quality to bee aſhamed to vſe them, and to giuegive an example vntounto others to flie ſuch vaninities, abſtain from the vſe of them altogither: making themſelues by this meanes more honourable in their perſons and ſtates, then thoſe who witnes to the woorld by that which is without them, what is within them.
5 But aboue al, is not this a more then vile ſhame (although we ſee not theſe things in ſuch exceſſe as to ſee vponupon the head theſe goldē cauls & ſuch other ſuperfluities, which our pouerty rather keepeth vsus frō, then any fear of God) that a man muſt notwithſtanding in this place not onelyonly neceſſarily make ſuch warnings, but which is worſe, make them & make thē againe, and all in vaine. For what are wee, I praie you, whether we reſpect them of this place, or whether we conſider of them who are come from other places and countries? It is true the Lorde hath honored this eſtate & common-weale with a ſoueraigne liberty of iuriſdiction. But are wee therefore a kingdome, or a duchie, or a county, or any great thing aboue others? Naie on the contrarie ſide, is not that verified of vsus which Saint Paul ſaid of thoſe boaſters of Corinth, 1. Cor. 1.26. My brethren ye ſet your vocation, yee are not many wiſe according vntounto the fleſh, nor many mighty, nor many noble. And as for vsus that hauehave beene receiued into this citty, and who in ſteed of ſaying that we are come hither to make a pure profeſſion of the Goſpell, bring hither the filthy faſhions and manners of the places whence wee came, what are we according vntounto the world? Poore baniſhed men, or at the leaſt fugitiues, and when al is ſaid, a ſmall handfull of poore people. And yet we cannot hold our ſelues in our owne skins; our admonitions preuaile nothing; the lawes are openlie violated & broken, as eueryevery one ſeeth ſaue they who ought to be the firſt that ſhould ſee & foreſee it to remedy it. Dearth and famine, plague and peſtilence, which are at our gates, war with his ſword vnſheathed, the miſerie and extremity whereunto ſo manie Churches are brought, all theſe thinges which ſhould cauſe vsus to mourne in ſackcloth and aſhes, ſeeme to whet and ſharpen our appetites and luſtes to doe much the worſe. If there bee any villanous and outragious faſhion in all Fraunce, this filth muſt be brought hither by and by to poyſon and infect this place, as theſe monſtrous ruffes, theſe great villanous long bellies, theſe more then villanous faſhions of womens gownes, the onelyonly name whereof ſheweth in what deteſtation they ought to bee had of all honeſt women. And what ſhal I ſay of theſe vile and ſtinking Androgynes, that is to ſaie, theſe men-weomen with their curled locks, their criſped and frizeled haire? Fie, fie, and fie againe vponupon theſe ſtinking and filthie faſhions, which ſauor of nothing leſſe then of true chriſtianity. It may pleaſe the Lord our god to take an order for it, ſeeing men make no account or reckoning of it: and truelie I am certainly aſſured he wil.
6 To returne vntounto our text: mention beeing made here of the church as of a queen in the moſt nobleſt and higheſt eſtate a man can imagin, there is ſpeech of her coſtlie & rich borders and chaines, as ſhe is in like manner painted out vntounto vsus, Pſal. 45.10.14. and 15. and at large in Ezechiel the 16. beeing meant hereby inward and ſpirituaall giftes whereof S. Peter and Saint Paul in the places which I hauehave alleaged, do ſpeake. And what are theſe giftes? to ſay it al in a woord, it is the bridegroome himſelfe, and all that he hath. Now he hath in himſelfe the holy ſpirit and all the graces of him, not only becauſe he is God coeternall and coeſſentiall with the father and the holy Ghoſt, but alſo in as much as he is man he receiued them not in part, 1. Cor. 12.8. but without number or meaſure, Ioh. 3.34. The diuinitie therefore of Chriſt is as it were the very well-ſpring of all grace, Iam. 1.17. And the humanitie of Ieſus Chriſt is as it were the baſon or veſſell receiuing all this aboundance of grace powred into it, Ioh. 1.14. Which thing was repreſented by the deſcending of the Doue at his Baptiſme, Ioh. 1.32. as is declared, Eſai. 11.2. And this not to the end that this ſhould ſtaie in his onelie perſon, but to the ende that ſo much as it pleaſeth him to beſtow vponupon vsus for his glorie might run downe vponupon vsus, baptiſing & bedewing vsus therewith within, as the ſame is repreſented vntounto vsus by outward baptiſme, Ioh. 1.33. For which cauſe the Angels announcing his birth vntounto the ſheepheardes ſaid not onelyonly A child is borne, but a child is borne vntounto you, Luk. 2.11. Now theſe gifts are not al of one ſort & quality. For ſome of them are generally and vniuerſally beſtowed on eueryevery chriſtian, which are reduced vntounto foure pointes by the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 1.30. when he ſaith that Ieſus Chriſt is made vntounto vsus of the father, wiſedome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemption. For all our knowledge touching the thinges we beleeue and our ſaluation, all our righteouſnes and integrity by vertue whereof wee preſume to call vponupon God, and to come before his throne in all holy boldnes, all our chaunge and newnes of life alſo, whereby we begin to diſpleaſe our ſelues in doing of euil, and to take pleaſure in well doing, and conſequentlie this whole deliueraunce of ours, the perfect accompliſhment whereof we wait for, proceed al from him, in whom are reſiant al the treaſures of knowledge and vnderſtanding, Col. 2, 3. in whom there is no ſinne, 2. Cor. 5.21. who hath borne our ſinnes vponupon the Croſſe, 1. Pet. 2.24. by whoſe obedience we are declared righteous, Rom. 5.19. who createth in vsus both to will & to doe. Phil. 2.13. in a word he who alone is our Ieſus, that is to ſay, Sauiour and Redeemer, Mat. 1.21. & no other whatſoeuer, Act. 4.12. Beſides theſe gifts, without the which no man can be of the church▪ there are an infinit number of other ſpecial graces which God beſtoweth on ſuch as are his▪ in ſuch ſort and ſo far as pleaſeth him, according vntounto the diuers vocations in which he wil be ſerued by them, whereof he is liberall ſometimes towardes them, who are neuer a whit the better by them, as we it ſee in Abſalon, Achitophel, Saul, Iudas & others of whom it is ſpoken, Matth. 17.22. & therefore it is vntounto the former giftes wee muſt keepe our ſelues. Theſe are the iewels of ineſtimable value, which the ſpouſe hath receiued of the liberality of her Bridegrome. For what hauehave we which we hauehave not receiued? 1. Cor. 4.7. and togither with him al things are giuen vsus, Rom. 8.32. And theſe are the ſaphirs, and emerauds, and other precious ſtones and pearles with which that cittie is builded, Eſay 54.11. Apoc. 21.18. which was figured vnderunder the Lawe by the ſtones which were called Ʋrim and Thumimm, that is to ſay glittering in perfection in the breſtplate of the high prieſt, Exod. 28.17▪
7 But alas are we this Church compoſed wholy of children of the light, and as it were ſhining lampes in the woorld, Phil. 2.15. Certainely on the Lordes part wee maie ſay, we I ſay: that hee hath ſet vp and lighted in the midſt of vsus this flaming light of his moſt pure and ſincere truth, Pſal. 19.8. and 119.104. in ſuch ſort that the whole woorlde hath an eie vponupon vsus. But whereto ſerueth the Sun to ſuch as be blind? What auaileth it to ſpeake to ſuch as are and will bee deafe? To what purpoſe is the true light ariſen and come vntounto them, who hauehave loued darkneſſe better then light? Ioh. 3.19. Alas then what ſhall I ſaie hereupon, but that we are of al other the moſt wicked and vnthankful in the whole worlde if wee thinke not better on our ſelues? For what woorke of the fleſh raigneth in the woorlde, wherewith wee are not yet infected? So manie warninges as hauehave beene made vsus by the pure woorde of God, ſo manie good Lawes and orders which the Lorde hath eſtabliſhed in this place againſt fornicatours and adulterers, ſo manie executions of men and weomen for this vice, hauehave they bin able to reſtraine and bridle our filthy luſtes in this place? Alas no. Nay contrariwiſe there are too many who endeuor, if not vtterly at once to take away, yet by little and little to deſtroy and aboliſh theſe good lawes. Yee couetous mizers, yee extortioners, yee vſurers, ye crafty eſpiers of the neceſſitie of your poor bretheren, to make your gain of their pain, your commodity of their calamitie, worſe then theeues & robbers, forgers of artificial famines and dearths, deuourers of mens quick and liue fleſh, how long will you preſume to appeare in the church of God as if you were of it? Yee tauerne haunters, yee dronkardes & gluttons, will you neuer hauehave other god then your belly? Yee engroſſers and regraters, yee ſellers with falſe waights & with falſe meaſures, adorers of your God Man mon, and worſe then Idolaters, will yee neuer learne to content your ſelues with honeſt and lawfull gaine? Yee ſowers of mutinies, yee quarellers and wrong doers, yee enuious and deadly malicious, yee impleaders and action-threatners, how long ſhall the Lorde ſuffer you in his houſe, in which dwelleth nothing but peace and charitie? Yee bellowes of hell-fire which liue by ſetting others a pleading, & lengthen the parchment as much as you may, will you alwaies profane and defile this holy and ſacred name of Iuſtice? Yee diſſolute, ye idle and do-nothings, comming to ſermon for a ſhewe and countenance only, or to ſleep when you are there, when will you learne why you came into the world before you goe out of it? Yee gameſters and waſters both of your owne & others, wil you forget the ſermon which ſome of your companions made on the ſcaffold not long ago? Briefly yee men wil you alwaies be men? children of that firſt Adam? Fleſh of fleſh? Inſteede of being regenerate of the ſecond Adam author of euerlaſting life? What ſhall I ſay more? God giuegive you grace and mercy, God giuegive you grace to caſt far from you theſe filthy ragges, to be adorned with his ieweles and chaines receiued of him and before his face.
8 But let vsus note alſo that albeit as wee ſhall afterward ſee there be no part in this ſpouſe frō the head vntounto the feet which is not of a ſingular bewtie, notwithſtanding the ſpouſe ſpeaketh expreſly in this place of the cheekes and of the neck, that is of the moſt ſightly and apparant part in eueryevery perſon, and which indeede might grace and bewtify the ilfauorednes of the reſt. And this is to teach vsus this leſſon, that albeit the graces which are heere ſpoken off hauehave their ſeate in the bottom of the hart, according vntounto the ſaying of the Apoſtle, Coloſſ. 3.16. & of the Lord himſelfe, Ioh. 14.17. As it is alſo expreſly ſaid of this ſpouſe, Pſal. 45.13. Yet notwithſtanding as the viſage & the face is naturally as it were the looking-glaſſe of the heart: ſo muſt the ſoule of a Chriſtian teſtifie his ſimplicitie and chaſtitie within, and whatſoeuer God hath ſet in his hart; that he ſhew himſelfe to be ſuch as he is (reformed I m…ane to the Image of God) by his looke, by his countenaunce, by his port, briefly that nothing bee ſeene or ſhewe it ſelfe in a Chriſtian which edifieth not his neighbour, and which may hold in an amaſe and reproue the infidell and vnbeleeuing which looketh on him: whereas in men of our age and time nothing but vanitie and all other kind of wickedneſſe and diſhoneſtie ſheweth it ſelfe from the crowne of the head vntounto the ſole of the feete.
6 But what? Can the Bridegroome beſtowe more on the ſpouſe then himſelfe and all that he hath? no truly. But we are not able to receiue all at once which hee will giuegive vsus; and if we receiued al at one time, we would not know from whence it commeth, nor eſteem ſo much of it as it is worth. It is giuen vsus to know him, but yet but in part ſo long as wee are here belowe, 1. Cor. 13.12. It is giuen vsus to beleeue. Eph. 2.8. But diſtruſt doth ſtill fight againſt faith, Mar. 9.94. It is giuen vsus to will and to doe. But the Apoſtle himſelfe cryeth out, The good which I would doe that do I not, and the euill which I would not do that do I. Rom. 7.19. Wee may not therefore content our ſelues with that wee hauehave alreadie receiued, much leſſe be proud thereof, but forgetting that which is paſt and behind vsus, we muſt alwaies endeuour and drawe on farther, Phil. 3.13. yea we muſt run without ceaſing, encreaſing more and more in the knowledge of God, Col. 2.19. Such are the exhortations which are made vsus thorough out the Scripture, which woulde bee vaine and of no effect, if this promiſe were not made vsus, namely that although the Lorde hath alreadie bound vsus vntounto him ſo manie waies, he promiſeth notwithſtanding to giuegive vsus ſtill more giftes, and to water and encreaſe the former eueryevery daie, beeing rich and abounding with that treaſure which can neuer be ſounded & drawen dry. Behold what is promiſed vntounto all true beleeuers. But this being referred vntounto the body of the whole Church, conſidered as it was vnderunder the pedagogy & ſchooling of the Law, this verſe in which he promiſeth other goodlier and richer iewels, containeth the promiſe of him whom the fathers ſaw not but a farre off, & through the ſhadowes of the law, Gal. 3.24. Col. 2.17. and Heb. 11.13. For which reaſon Simeon calleth him the light of the Gentiles and the glory of Iſrael, Luk. 2.32. This is therfore in ſumme the promiſe of that more excellent couenaunt promiſed vntounto the fathers, and ratified by the ſonne himſelfe in perſon, Heb. 1.2. and. 8.6. Whereby wee ſee that the condition of the Chriſtian Church, hath a ſpecial aduantage and priuiledge aboue that of the fathers, before the comming of the Lord: albeit that both they & we do ſtil wait for the ful conſummation of this mariage.
10 But ſeeing there is but one onelyonly Bridegroome, wherefore faith he we wil make thee in the plural nūber? A man might aunſwere that kings and great princes are wont to ſpeak thus. But all beeing well conſidered, wee ſhall find the ſecret myſtery of the three perſons in one ſole diuinity, and the actions of them diſtinguiſhed without anie either multiplication or diuiſion of eſſence, in the work of our ſaluation, and al the graces which ſerue thereunto, to be here laide open and diſcouered. So thē as the father hath giuen vsus his ſonne, ſo the ſon alſo taking on him our fleſh hath giuen himſelfe, and the holy Ghoſt alſo doth giuegive him vsus by applying him vntounto vsus by the gift of the enlightening of faith. So alſo it is the father, who ſendeth woork-men into his harueſt, Matth. 9.38. It is the ſonne which faith, As the father ſent me, ſo I ſend you, Ioh. 20.21. & who giueth to his Church Paſtors and Doctours, Epheſ. 4.11. It is alſo the holy Ghoſt which eſtabliſheth and directeth them, Act. 13.2. and 20.28. Who then giueth vsus theſe graces and encreaſeth them? The father, hauing elected and called vsus in his welbeloued Sonne: the Sonne of whoſe fulneſſe al this is drawen, the holy Ghoſt leading vsus into this truth, and diſtributing his giftes to whom and how hee will, 1. Corint. 12.11. Whereunto alſo the forme of our Baptiſme leadeth vsus, in which we are baptiſed in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghoſt, euerie one of them being this one God, who giuegive vsus grace thoroughlie to vnderſtand and meditate this moſt deare and precious doctrine to his honour and glorie, and to our owne ſaluation, as we wil therefore beſeech him ſaying.
Almighty God &c.