Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs, Sermon 1
THE FIRST SERMON VPONUPON THE 1. CHAPTER. It is written as followeth in the title of the third booke of Salomon. The Canticle of Canticles, or Song of Songs, of Salomon. The principal points handled in the firſt Sermon.
1 That this booke is canonicall, but ought to be red, and expounded in the church with great diſcretion.
2 That nothing conteyned in holy writ ought to be concealed or hid in the church, and wherefore God hath not alwayes ſpoken ſo playnly at one time as at another.
3 Wherfore the holy ghoſt hath choſen and proſecuted ſo farre the allegory of mariage, both in this Canticle or Sōg, as alſo elſewhere.
4 Three manners of Gods ioyning him ſelfe with his creature, the one general, the other particular in the perſon of Chriſt Ieſus: the third of the ſonne of God with his church.
5 Of the perſons which are introduced and brought in in this Canticle, in maner of a dialogue, or mutuall ſpeach, with the ſumme and ſcope thereof.
6 Wherefore this Canticle or Song, is called the Canticle of Canticles or Song of ſongs, and who was the penman thereof.
7 A ſpeciall obſeruation touching the order of the three bookes of Salomon.
8 An enhortation for eueryevery one to make his profit by the expoſition of this Canticle.
THIS booke albeit it hath bin as well in the auncient church of the Iſraelites, as alſo in the Chriſtian church by one common conſent not only reckned amongſt the number of thoſe which the holy Ghoſt hath ſpoken and vttered to the pen, and which ought to be the rule and canon of our fayth: but alſo held for one of the moſt excellent and ſpirituall of all the reſt: yet hath it not bin handled or red in the church as eueryevery of the other, but reſerued to be propoſed vntounto them, who were farther aduaunced and growne vp in the knowledge of God, and were of a more ſtable and conſtant iudgement. The cauſes whereof were, firſt becauſe the ſtile and phraſe thereof is altogether allegoricall and enigmatical, that is to ſay, deliuereth to our vnderſtāding thinges heauenly and ſpirituall, by a ſimilitude and figure of things naturall and corporall, which eueryevery man neyther of himſelfe can, nor by the help of an other is able, ſo to conceiue and vnderſtand, as thereby throughly to be profited and inſtructed. Secondly becauſe this allegory is wholy grounded vponupon the coniunction and coupling of man and wife in marriadge: in the which, being humanely and carnally conſidered, we ſhall finde euen from the beginning thereof vntounto the end, many great wantes and imperfections on mens behalfes, which defaultes as they hauehave bene euer rife ſince the entrance of ſinne into the world: ſo we know how they hauehave bin dayly encreaſed ſithence men hauehave for ſo long a time giuen themſelues ouer to all this vncleannes and wantonnes, which is no other thing then a polluting and defiling of the honeſt and chaſt careſſes, dilections, and embraſementes in marriadge. The which notwithſtanding it hath in it many defectes and blemiſhes, which the Lord of his great goodnes muſt ſupport and couer, hindereth not but that according to the ſaying of the Apoſtle Heb. 15.4. Marriadge is honorable amongſt all, and the bed thereof vndefiled. And thus you ſee how ſome conſidering the miſchieuous maners of this world, and be cauſe there are in this Canticle many kinds of ſpeaches, according to the ſimplicity of that time in which this booke was writtē, which the world might eaſily abuſe, hauehave bene hardly induced to interprete it in the church, fearing leaſt it ſhould bring more harme thereunto, then profit and edification. Others there hauehave bene which hauehave gone farther, and hauehave beene ſo bold and hardy, or rather ſo ouerweening and headdy, as to go about to raſe this booke out of the canonicall ſcriptures, as being a writing altogeather profane, and compiled by Solomon in the middeſt of his wanton and licencious diſſolutiōs. As touching the firſt ſort of theſe men, they are herein to bee greatly commended, that they thinke it not good that eueryevery one ſhould raſhly & vnaduiſedly be carried or led to the hādling of this booke: according vntounto the ſaying of the Apoſtle 1. Cor. 3.2. that we muſt begin with milke, & ſo proceed & come to hard & ſolid meate. Which thing hath bin carefully & diligently obſerued both in this church and in others by the faythfull paſtors and miniſters. But as for thoſe which preſume to condemne this booke, they are no more to be harkened vntounto or regarded then thoſe, who deſperatly and arrogantly addreſſe and oppoſe themſelues agaynſt the ſpirit of God. For beſides that the old and newe church hath from all times iudged the contrary, (this booke being diligently expounded by the auncient Doctors both greeke and latin, yea euen in monaſteries amongſt the monkes vſed and handled, as a booke altogeather contemplatiue more then any beſides: albeit they then made ſolemne profeſſion of being farre from all thought of women and marriage) this very allegory of marriadge, is very amplie to the ſame end and purpoſe proſecuted in other bookes, which by a perpetual and common conſent hauehave bin alwayes held for holy & diuine, as in the Pſalme 45, which is as it were a ſumme and abridgement of this whole Canticle, and in Eſay, 62.1.6. Ierem. 3. Ezech. 16. and 23. Oſeas 1.2. Math. 25. Ioh. 3.29. Rom. 7.1.2. Cor. 11.2. and eſpecially Ephe. 5. where the Apoſtle vſeth the very ſame words which Adam vſed in the firſt inſtitution of marriadge, to wit, that the church is made fleſh of the fleſh of Ieſus Chriſt, and bone of his bones, which is, ſaith he, a great ſecret and myſtery: to be ſhort the holy Ghoſt in the Apocal. 17. is the expounder and interpreter of the beginning of this booke. Neyther is that to be regarded which ſome bring for an argument why this booke is not Canonicall, becauſe that no place of it is alleaged in the newe teſtament. For firſt, beſide that which I hauehave ſayd of the 45. Pſalme, that it is an abridgment of this booke, the ſimilitudes which are taken from marriage in Saynt Paul, and in the laſt chapter of the Apocalyps are drawen from hence: and by the ſame reaſon we may condemne other bookes of the old teſtament, which are receiued without contradiction or gainſaying.
2 We muſt therfore vſe & obſerue a mean in the expoſition of this booke, handling it then and in ſuch wiſe as it appertaineth, in the church of God. For God will not that any thing which he teacheth vsus by his Prophets and Apoſtles ſhould be hidden or kept ſecret in ſuch ſort, as to content our ſelues to hauehave it enregiſtred onelyonly in his word, without farther regarding and conſidering what it is: as the Paynimes were woont to deal in their falſe religions & worſhips, who feared their abuſes ſhould be diſcouered, if their myſteries were knowen: or as we yet to this day ſee it practiſed in the falſe church, where the reading of the ſcriptures in the vulgar and common tong is forbidden: whereas the Apoſtles and Prophets ſince the beginning hauehave ſpoken and written in a common and intelligible language, to the end they might be vnderſtoode of all men. And yet is it very true, that the holy Ghoſt hath not vſed throughout the ſame ſtile and manner of writing, but hath ſpoken ſomtimes very plainly, ſometimes obſcurely, in ſuch ſort notwithſtanding, that (as one of the auncient fathers hath heretofore well obſerued) obſcurity and darknes is tempered and mixed with plainnes and clearnes, to the end to ſharpen and quicken our deſire to ſearch after that which we vnderſtoode not at the firſt, and to cauſe vsus to eſteeme more higher of the ſecrets of his wiſdom, after that he hath beſtowed on vsus the gift of knowledge and vnderſtanding of them, vponupon our carefull diligence of reading and conferring together the places of ſcripture. And this is that which we hope to doe, by Gods good aſſiſtaunce obtayned by your prayers, in the expounding of this booke: ſeing it is now about fifty years that God hath ſet vp, as it were anew, his holy Iubile amongſt vsus, cauſing the holy light of his goſpell to ſhine in ſuch ſort in this place, that now nothing in this behalfe ought to ſeeme new and ſtrange vntounto vsus: as if we were yet yong infantes and babes in vnderſtanding: in ſteede of being aſhamed not to be of the nomber of thoſe, of whom it is ſpoken in the fift to the Hebrues, that they be exerciſed and practiſed in diſcerning betweene that which is good and that which is euill.
3 Now for the vnderſtanding of this book, it is requiſit we learne and knowe, what moued the holy Ghoſt to chuſe and proſecute ſo farre this ſimilitude of marriadge: the which is not, as I ſayde before, if God would deal with rigour in examining eueryevery poynt thereof, without many great wantes and imperfections. This was it therefore, to ſpeak in few wordes, becauſe there is not amongſt men, eyther in reſpect of the obligation, a more ſacred and diuine, or in regarde of the effect, a more ſtrait and firme bond to bee founde, then this of marriadge. For in all other contracts and bargaines wherein one man is obliged and bound vntounto the other, the queſtion & poynt is only of the goods and poſſeſſions of this world, and of ſuch things as are without the perſons which bargaine and contract together: or if the matter be touching the body, yet is not the obligation reciprocall, wherin the one party is as much intereſſed as the other: but may happily bee as far to the diſaduantage of the one, as the aduantage of the other: as for the contract of marriage, therein God himſelfe as principall author ſo dealeth, as that this bond continueth indiſſoluble, if himſelfe ſay not the word to the contrary, and breake this bond either by death or by any other his ordinaunce. And agayne the obligation or bond of both parties is ſo mutuall and reciprocall, that neither of the parties is free and at his owne choyſe, and both of them become as it were one perſon by the coniunction of marriage. Now, which is more, the effect thereof is rather diuine then humane, to wit, the generation and procreation of mankind. For God by this contract vſeth men as his inſtruments to do that which is properly belonging to himſelfe, to wit, to the engendring of mā kinde, whereof his church is made and compoſed. For albeit this ordinaunce of God, Encreaſe and multiplie, be extended generally to all the creatures, compriſing man alſo in the number of them: yet notwithſtanding, as the creating of mā, both touching the male and touching the female, is other and different from that of the reſt of the creatures: euen ſo we muſt conclude that God hath led and conducted the race and ſucceſſion of mankinde from the father to the ſonne, to his effect by a ſpeciall and particular coniunction in wedlock, ſpecially ordayned and bleſſed by the inſpiration of his holy ſpirit and calling vponupon of his name. The holy Ghoſt therefore minding to repreſent vntounto vsus, that which in it ſelfe is incomprehenſible, & not to be conceiued, I mean that moſt ſtreit ſpirituall bond of Ieſus Chriſt, with eueryevery faythfull ſoule, to the end to engender in the minds of the beleeuing (the aſſembly and congregation of whom is called the church) the knowledge of truth, together with all other holy motions and operations, thereby to quicken and giuegive life to eueryevery one of the faithfull wholy and entirely, and conſequently to his whole church and congregation in the true life which laſteth for euer, could not chuſe a more proper ſimilitude, nor a more liuely patterne and modell thereof then this coniunction of marriadge.
And this is alſo the reaſon, why the word of God, which is receiued & fructifieth by fayth, is by Saynt Peter called The incorruptible ſeede. Hereunto alſo tendeth that ſecond generation & New-byrth, which is made by the ſpirit, whereof our Lord Ieſus Chriſt ſo largely treateth with Nicodemus Ioh. 3. which I will therefore declare vntounto you and handle more at large, becauſe this ſecrete, whereof I now ſpeake, is the ground and foundation of our ſaluation.
4 EueryEvery one of vsus then is cōſtrained to confeſſe, that eueryevery good thing commeth from God, whether we conſider the eſſence and being which all the creatures hauehave receiued of God, or the diuerſe qualities whereby they are mayntained. Which thing is ſignified vntounto vsus by the Apoſtle Act. 17. when he ſaieth, That in him we are, we liue and hauehave our mouing, as if God the Creatour did, as I may ſo ſay, inſinuate himſelfe within his creatures, to declare vntounto vsus the better, that diuine efficacie & woorking of his, which is in them opened & diſplayed, according to that meaſure and durance it pleaſeth him: although to ſpeake properly, his diuine eſſence, bee neither within, nor without the world, but comprehendeth all, it ſelfe being incomprehenſible. But there are two other manner of coniunctions, yea rather vnions of God with man, much different from that whereof I laſt ſpake, and of an effect of greater conſequence, to wit, firſt of all the vniting of the eternall ſonne of God with a true body and true humane ſoul in the wombe of the bleſſed Virgin Mary, by a perſonall vnion, which to the Angels themſelues is incomprehenſible, by which, the word, which is the ſonne, eternall and coeſſentiall with the father, was made fleſh, Ioh. 1.14. in ſuch ſort that ſince, this perſon, which is called Ieſus Chriſt, Mat. 1.16. is true God and true man, without any either ſeuering or confounding of the two natures: which is that great ſecret wherof the Apoſtle ſpeaketh 1. Tim. 3. And vponupon this dependeth a third coniunction of our Immanuel with the beleeuing, by the which eueryevery faithfull perſon, and ſo conſequently the whole church which is compoſed of them, is ſpiritually as it were married with Ieſus Chriſt, and made fleſh of his fleſh, and bone of his bones. Not that the body of Chriſt is really within our bodies, or his ſoule within our ſoule (which the truth and verity of his body and of his ſoule cannot ſuffer, as neither any ſuch coniunction appertaineth any whit at all to this myſtery, which is altogether ſpirituall and tending to a ſpirituall life) but becauſe that as in an humane body, the ſoule, being naturally ioyned thereunto, quickneth and liueth all the members of the body, if ſo they be knit and ioyned together according to the frame and building of the body: ſo Ieſus Chriſt, as the ſpiritual bridegrome of his church, by the and vertue of his holy ſpirit, and by the meanes of his humane nature, by the which he ſymbolizeth, that is, agreeth in one part with vsus, is ſo neare and ſo powerfully ioyned with vsus, by the meanes of fayth which apprehendeth him, that he quickneth vsus to life eternall, working in our vnderſtanding and wil, to repaire in vsus by little and little the image of God doone forth and defaced by ſinne, to make vsus in the end perfit partakers of his glorious immortality in the later day, vntounto which the conſummation & perfiting of this holy & ſpirituall marriage is reſerued. Hence it is that the Apoſtle hath drawn theſe manners of ſpeaking, which he learned of Chriſt himſelfe, when he ſaith, That we are in Ieſus Chriſt. Rom. 8.1. and that Ieſus Chriſt is in vsus. Rom. 8.10. That he liueth in vsus, and wee in him. Gal. 2.20. and That he dwelleth in his ſayntes. Ioh. 14.23. And Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe to this end compareth himſelfe to a vine, and vsus to the branches which fructifie and beare fruite. Ioh. 15. and his body is called our foode, and his blood our drinke. Ioh. 6. becauſe that as corporally by meate and drinke this preſent life is maintained in vsus: euē ſo by Ieſus Chriſt incorporating himſelf in vsus, in that maner I hauehave ſaid, and being as I may ſo ſay receiued, eaten, and digeſted by the inner man, we receiue and draw from him the true life euerlaſting. In the expoſition therefore of this booke, there is no queſtion of bringing with vsus vntounto the vnderſtanding thereof a ſenſuall minde and carnall, but our ſoule muſt with Salomon conceiue this huſband, this marriage, and whatſoeuer is ſayd thereof, after a ſpirituall faſhion, farre remoued from all carnall and filthy cogitations, remembring the ſaying of the Apoſtle, That hee which cleaueth vntounto the lord is made one ſpirit with him. 1. Co. 6.17. & that of Chriſt, That he which is born of the ſpirit is ſpirit. Io. 3.6.
5 Now to vnderſtand more particularly the order of handling of this Canticle or ſong, we muſt know, that it is written in maner of a dialogue, many perſons being introduced in a moſt wonderfull and artificiall maner, ſpeaking and anſwering one the other: to wit, a Bride addreſſing her ſpeach vntounto her maidens, and a Bridegroome in like ſort accompanied with his friends: according to the manner vſed in the celebration of ſuch fianſailes and eſpouſales as are honeſtly and orderly made. The ſpouſe or bride is the company of the faithful land beleeuing, which is called the Church, repreſented as it were in one only perſō, (as it is alſo ſaid that the faithfull hauehave but one hart, and one ſoule. Act. 4.32) in the which company notwithſtanding Salomon bringeth one in ſpeaking as it were in the name of the reſt of the train. But farther ſeing he maketh a diſtinction between her, which ſpeaketh as the Queene & miſtreſſe, and the other daughters & maidens of Ieruſalem, (according to that which is written in the 45 Pſalme) we may vnderſtand by theſe other daughters, aſwell thoſe, which are in the church rather in name then in deede, as thoſe, which are the true faithfull, but are yet newe, and as it were litle children, which follow their mother, who is as it were a Queene accompanied and waited on with her damoyſels and maidens. On the other ſide the bridegrome is our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, by whoſe friendes, in the treatiſe of this mariage, we vnderſtād, firſt the bleſſed ſpirits, which hauehave at all times ſerued Ieſus Chriſt, and whoſe miniſtery he vſeth for the building of his church, as it is ſaide in the 34 Pſal. and Heb. 1. as alſo the whole ſcripture ſheweth vsus their effectes & workings: ſecondly thoſe excellent archbuilders of the ſpirituall temple of the church, I meane, the Prophets and Apoſtles, Epheſ. 2. and Apocal. 21. thirdly the paſtors and teachers who painefully and faithfully trauaile for the preparing this holy Bride, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh 2 Cor. 11.2. and gathering together the company and aſſembly of the Sayntes, Ephe 4.12. We muſt farther note, that as in mariage there be three degrees, wherof the firſt is the ſtipulation and contracting, which we call fianſailes or betrothings, during the which the parties are called the fiancer & the fianced: afterward the ſolemne celebration of the mariage, at which day they are called the Bridegrome & the Bride: & laſtly the conſummation of the mariage, after which they are termed Man & Wife: euen ſo in this ſpiritual mariage he hath as it were fianced & betrothed to himſelf his church, by that promiſe of his made vntounto Adam, concerning the ſeede of the woman, the which ſeede ſhould bruſe the head of the Serpent: which he afterward reconfirmed to Abraham, Iſaac and Iacob. But he hath paſſed yet farther, when by eſtabliſhing of a Leuiticall prieſthoode and other types and ſhadowes of the promiſes of the goſpell, (the body and ſubſtance of which was in chriſt, Coloſ. 2.) he did as it were eſpouſe his LoueLove and fianced, howbeit in abſence, and as it were by ſubſtitutes. And this is the cauſe why the Bride is firſt brought in by Salomon rauiſhed with the deſire & longing after of the reall & perſonall preſence of this Bridegrome, who hauing in diuers ſorts comforted & ſtrengthened her by moſt certaine and aſſured teſtimonies of his louelove and goodwill, doth in the end preſent and yeelde himſelfe perſonally vntounto her. Wherein Salomon doth prophetically foretel the manifeſtation of the ſonne of God in fleſh, and his real conuerſing among his owne: notwithſtanding but for a litle time, remitting the perfit and entire celebration & conſummation of this holy & more than holy coniunction, vntill the later day, in the heauens, when God ſhall bee all in all. 1. Cor. 15.28. and when it ſhall appeare, what the church is, which ſhall ſee him as he is. 1. Ioh. 3.2. This is it then whereunto the Bride aſpireth with a maruelous ardent deſire, to wit, vntounto the firſt and ſecond actual comming of the Bridegrome: accordingly as it ſaide in S. Math. 13.17. and by S. Peter of the deſire of the ancient prophets. 1. Pet. 1.10. & more plainly & expreſly by S. Paul deſiring to be diſlodged from this body, to be long agoe with Chriſt. Phil. 1.23. as all the true faithfull doe likewiſe deſire, & that with vnſpeakable ſighings & gronings, Rom. 8.26. demanding in their ordinary praier, the comming of his kingdome. Neither doth Salomon in the meane while forget to ſpeake of the perſecutions which ſhould happen vntounto the Church, euen by her owne, and the vocation of the gentiles, together with the moſt aſſured and excellent promiſes, with which the Bridegrome entertaining his Bride comforteth her by the often reiteration & recitall of his moſt aſcerteined promiſes, accompained with great ſpirituall bleſſing which are no leſſe than gages & pledges vntounto the Church of his ſecond moſt glorious and maieſticall comming.
6 This is then the ſumme and ſcope of this Canticle or ſong: which is therefore called the Canticle of Canticles, or Song of Songs either becauſe of the excellencie thereof aboue all other ſongs conteined in the ſcriptures (ſo far is it, that it ſhould be reiected) or for that it is compoſed of many Canticles or Songs, by reaſon of the perſons which anſwere one the other. And becauſe no man ſhould doubt of the author or rather the pen-man of this treatiſe, it is ſaid expreſſely, that it is compoſed by Salomon: by Salomon, I ſay, when he was filled and repleniſhed with the wiſedome of God, and not then, when hee followed after his wantonneſſe and folly. In whoſe ſliding we muſt as it were in a looking-glaſſe beholde our ſelues, deſiring the Lord to grant vsus his grace, ſo to profit in this Canticle, that we paſſe and ſurpaſſe herein Salomon himſelfe, keeping carefully in our harts, that which Salomon let ſlide out of his, except wee will ſay that in his olde age (which thing may in part be gathered out of the booke of the Preacher) hee had the gift of repentance, although the Scripture make no expreſſe mention thereof, and that at the leaſt his Idolatries endured manie yeares after him.
7 How euer it be, not to ſtay long on this point, cōſidering the order of the three bookes of Salomon, we may ſay that in his Prouerbs hee teacheth men the true guiding & direction of this life, in ſuch ſort, and after ſo familiar a maner, as if a maſter were ſpeaking to his ſcholers in the ſchoole: Afterwarde in his Eccleſiaſtes, or the booke of the Preacher, hee leadeth vsus as it were from the plain and champion country, vp to an high hill, cauſing vsus thence, as from a more high and eminent place, to beholde the diuers turnings and windings, by the which men wander and goe aſtray, ſome after one faſhion, others after an other, declaring and ſhewing himſelfe, amidſt theſe waies & laberinths, which is the true way, that we be not ſurpriſed and ouertaken with the vanitie of this worlde, but vſe and order our life in ſuch ſort, that it bee vntounto vsus the way, which leadeth vntounto the true & euer-during happines and felicity. Now laſtly in this Song or Canticle, thoſe whome hee hath in ſuch double wiſe inſtructed, he lifteth here aboue the cloudes, being as it were rauiſhed with the conſideration & contemplation of thoſe heauenly bleſſings, as if they were already dwelling in, and inhabiting the heauens, or at the leaſt did alreadie knocke at the gates thereof. The which order of his booke, is by one of the auncient fathers reſembled, by way of allegory, to the Temple of the Lorde built by the ſame Salomon: in the which was firſt, the vtter common court for the people, vntounto which the booke of the Prouerbs may be compared: after that was the inner place, prouided for the Prieſtes: and laſtly the Sanctuarie called the holy of Holies. Euen ſo we may ſay, that the Church is as it were lead to enter into the Holy place by the booke of Eccleſiaſtes, called the Preacher, & from thence by this Canticle or Song, brought euen to the entery in of the Sanctuary, or Holy of Holies, after hir bridegrome Ieſus Chriſt, who is firſt entered in thither, to dedicate vsus the way, Heb. 9. & there to prouide vsus a place of abode, Ioh. 14. whereinto according to that praier and requeſt which he hath made to God the Father for this his bride, ſhe alſo might be receiued in hir time. Ioh. 17.
8 It remaineth now that we come to the text of this Canticle or Song, which we will not at this time beginne. Let vsus in the mean time ſo heedefully conſider of theſe things which hauehave beene ſaid, that we make our profit by them, beſeeching him which hath ſhewed vsus ſo great fauor, as to hauehave brought vsus into his Church, out of the filthy pollutions of this world & ſo many Idolatries and ſuperſtitions, that he will giuegive vsus his ſpirite the better to conſider of, and to vnderſtand his holie Doctrine taught in his Church, that wee may profite thereby more and more in the knowledge and true feare of him, conſidering the bottomles depthes of his great mercies in this, that in ſteede of reiecting and caſting vsus off, according to our merits, it hath pleaſed him to cleanſe vsus from ſo many filthes and corruptions, to dedicate and conſecrate vsus wholly vntounto himſelfe, as a chaſt & pure virgin. Wherefore let vsus not grieue or make ſad the ſpirit of Sanctification, but contrary-wiſe ſuffer him to woorke mightily and power-fully in vsus, waiting for his ſecond comming, which ſhall be the accompliſhment of that which we muſt preſently hope for. According to his holy Doctrine, we will craue of him grace and mercy as followeth.
Almighty God and heauenly Father, &c.