Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs, Sermon 12
THE ELEVENTH 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 ninth verſe.
9 My LoueLove, I compare thee vntounto my couple of horſes of one of the coches of Pharao.
1 The happie estate of the Church reeſtabliſhed, oppoſed to her deſolation, for which reeſtabliſhment euerie one ought to labour.
2 In whome the fault lyeth that the Church is not reformed.
3 The maske of falſe general councels diſcouered.
4 The duetie of true Paſtors and chriſtian princes touching theſe delaies: with an aunſwere vntounto the ſlaunders raiſed againſt thoſe who hauehave ſought to diſcharge their duetie in this behalfe.
5 A ſummarie recital of the great defects committed in our time in this point of reformation.
6 The ground of this ſimilitude, taken from a couple of horſes of one of the coches of Pharao.
7 How deare and precious this woorde of LoueLove ought to be vntounto the ſpouſe.
8 In what ſenſe this ſpouſe is compared to a couple of goodly great horſes in a coch.
9 The croſſe is properlie the triumphal chariot, which is here ſpoken of.
10 The Goſpell is then deſpiſed when men enioie it with greateſt freedome.
11 An exhortation to doe the contrarie.
12 Why the ſpouſe is not compared to one horſe, but to a couple.
13 The falſe ioynt-couple oppoſed to this of the ſpouſe.
14 A reprehenſion of wild and diſſolute liuers, who cannot endure the chek being coupled and yoked vnderunder the yoke of the Lord.
WEE hauehave learned before a good leſſon by the aunſwere of the Bridegroome, namely, touching the certaine and infallible markes of the true Church, to which wee muſt order and keepe our ſelues, for to obtain ſaluation: and conſequently the true and only meanes of reforming the church, being for a time by the negligence of ſome of the Paſtors, and by the wickedneſſe of falſe Doctors and teachers brought into verie badde eſtate. After which reformation wel and throughly practiſed, the goodlie and triumphant condition of the Church ſette on foote againe, is heere in moſt excellent ſort paynted out vntounto vsus, which we are diligently and earneſtly to conſider of. This is then a point which men ſtill at this daie debate and diſpute, and not without great reaſon, if wee doe but looke on the extreme deſolation whereunto the greateſt part of Chriſtendom is brought at this day.
2 But what? Men diſpute thereof, not to find anie remedie for it, but cleane contrarie to hinder ſuch as endeuour a reformation. For the falſe Paſtors cannot abide that anie mā ſhould touch this point, becauſe of their particular intereſt: others hauehave no great care of it, others indeed ſet their handes vntounto it, but inſteede of following after the tracke and footing of the true ſheepe, and the tentes and tabernacles of the true Paſtors wel authorized, folow their own inuentions, to make a medly of religions and diſciplines after their owne luſt.
3 As for the firſt, ſeeing they reſemble the Phariſees and Scribes, naie are more out of the way then they, it is no maruaile if they cannot abide to hauehave their profanenes diſcouered: wherein they do their maſter faithful ſeruice, who by their meanes defendeth his hold and fortreſſe, with all the might he maie, Luk. 11.22. True it is they are conſtrayned to auouch that there are many very great corruptions & abuſes in their Church, and of this the preface vntounto their councels alwaies ringeth, yea ſometimes their ſermons alſo, and thereupon alſo ye ſhal hauehave them make ſome ſtatutes and ordinaunces of reformation. But what? Firſt there is no ſpeech to be made touching their doctrine, with which they ought to begin, but all the ſpeech is of ſquare caps, of ſhauing of beards, of their hair, it may be ſome points ſhal be farther added, touching the plurality of benefices and reſidencie of prelates, yea forſooth, as if they ſhould take order that eueryevery Church-robber ſhould hauehave his part, and euerie theeſe raunge in perſon in the walke of his foreſt. Many wil ſaie theſe wordes are verie rough, and too iniurious. But they who like them not, muſt reforme the Lordes ſpeech, Matt. 21.13. Yee hauehave made, ſaith he, of my fathers houſe a den of theeues. And albeit their rules of reformation were the beſt that might be in the world, yet who ſeeth not that it is but a meere mockerie to make them, to the end their buls and diſpenſations may hauehave as manie clauſes derogatorie againſt them? For example hereof look we to the pragmatical ſanction of Baſel, taken away by Pope Leo, and parted between him and kinges more impudently a great deale, then the ſouldiours who executed Pilates iudicial ſentence againſt Chriſt, parted his garments amongſt them. And this goodly councel of Trent, ſuch as it is, hath it hitherto in our daies framed anie bill of encitement againſt the authors themſelues and founders thereof, culpable in pointes of their owne reformation?
4 And what ſhal the true paſtors and chriſtian magiſtrates do hereupon? They muſt waite, ſaie theſe hick ſcorners, vntil ſuch time, as the Pope and prelates the Apoſtles ſucceſſours forſooth remedie the matter, that is to ſaie, vntill the whores reforme the ſtewes. As it is an vſuall thing thoroughout the Scripture to compare ſpiritual fornication and whoredom vntounto corporal whoredome. But Ieſus Chriſt giueth vsus a contrarie leſſon, Let them alone, ſaith he, they are blind leaders of the blind, Mat 15.14. naie which is more, he tooke a whip in his hand, and ouerturning the tables and monie of the chaungers, draue them foorth t…iſe out of the temple, Ioh. 2.15. and Luk. 19.45. So about three hundred yeares ſince, God hath chaſtiſed and ſcourged the Eaſt and the South, and ſome part alſo of the North with a terrible whip of his anger and wrath, I meane by the Turkes, ſucceſſours of the Sarracens, and hath in our memorie giuen the Cittie of Rome a ſhrewd laſh with the whip. Contrariwiſe it is on vsus that hee hath reached foorth his great merciemercy, hauing raiſed vp thoſe chiefe ſeruantes of God, who tooke into their handes the true armes of Chriſtians, 2. Cor. 10.4. I meane the spirit of the mouth of the Lord, 2. Theſſ. 2.8. otherwiſe called the two edged ſword of the word, Pſal 149.6. and Heb. 4.12. by which they cleanſed the houſe of the Lord where we are now. It is replyed hereupon that ſome hauehave alſo reſ…ſted by way of armes. They which hauehave beene brought to this extremity, are ſufficient to aunſwere for themſelues: and behold their aunſwere which al the world might vnderſtand. We vouch ſaie they the fact, yea and that Satan hath thruſt and ſhoued in ſome of his theeues and robbers among vsus we confeſſe, as Dauid himſelfe during the time of his perſecution found himſelfe much encombred with thoſe which ioyned themſelues vntounto him. But notwithſtanding for al this, conſidering when and why and by whoſe meanes the matter came to handie-blowes, it ſhall be found, that they who complaine, are no more to be approued in their complaint, then they ſhould be, who ſhould complaine they hapned to meete in a foreſt, where they laie in ambuſh, certaine paſſengers, who armed by the authority of the Lawes, hindered in ſome part their wicked purpoſe.
5 Ye ſee then how it hath pleaſed god in our time to exerciſe his poore children, and yet withall to take pitty on them in ſome countries. But I muſt ſpeake it to my great regrete, that his grace appearing vntounto the woorld, men hauehave beene far from receiuing of it and making their profite thereby, in ſuch ſort as they ought to hauehave doone. For ſome hauehave yet left the high places ſtanding, others hauehave ſet vp Gedeons Ephod, Iudg. 8.27. others hauehave ordered the rules of Eccleſiaſticall gouernment, not according vntounto the true pattern of the ancient ſheepe, and cabbins of the Paſtors, in which we hauehave heard howe the Spouſe is in this place commanded to feede her young kiddes, but according vntounto their own opinion or rather fancy: ſo that if God of his goodnes remedie it not, it cannot be, but that by little and litle the later ſtate wil come to be woorſe then the firſt, as is ſaid, Matth. 12.45. and as is already come to paſſe in too many Churches and countries.
6 God grant thē who hauehave the charge hereof his grace, to thinke better on it & to prouide for it, that this ſpouſe maie be reſtored vntounto her perfect bewty, whereof the Bridegroome in this place ſpeaketh, ſaying, that he compareth her vntounto the mounture of horſes of one of the coches of Pharao. Which ſimilitude & compariſon may ſeem very ſtrange & yet notwithſtanding is very ſignificant & proper, if wee conſider the ſenſe whereunto it is to be referred, without wreſting or drawing it any farder. So is it ſaid by a ſimilitude (to ſhew that the true Church keepeth herſelf to her head, in what place ſoeuer he be) that where a dead bodie is, there doe the eagles gather themſelues together. And yet this wold be thought a thing very abſurd, if a man therfore conſequently would liken the children of God vntounto foule rauening birds, & Ieſus Chriſt, who is the holy of holies, vntounto a carrion. Semblably if a man would make Ieſus Chriſt like vntounto a theefe, vnderunder this colour, that it is ſaide, that he ſhal come as a theefe, 1. Theſſ. 5.2. or vntounto a Iudge fearing neither God nor men, Luk. 18.2. So likewiſe in this place the ſpirite meaneth not to compare his church vntounto an horſe or a mare. But becauſe one of the principall bewties of a woman is this tall and ſtreight feature of body, with a comely countenance, as it is alſo ſpecified, Pſal. 144.12. where the daughters are compared to high & ſtraight pillers of great Pallaces: the holy ghoſt meaning to repreſent vntounto vsus by theſe corporall thinges, the excellency of the church of the Lord when ſhee keepeth herſelfe to her true Paſtours, hath choſen this ſimilitude, in oppoſing it vntounto the former deſolation, in the which the ſpouſe went as it were hanging downe her head. For as touching the mentioning of Pharao in this place, there is no farder reaſon or allegory to be ſought therof, but this, that among al the horſes of thoſe times they of Aegypt were accounted the braueſt and the beſt, as in manie places of the Scripture it is witneſſed vntounto vsus, and eſpecially in the hiſtorie of Salomon, 1. King. 10.28. as at this daie men account of the horſes of Spaine and of Turkie.
7 But aboue all other things this is eſpecially to be noted, that the Bridegrome calling his ſpouſe with his owne mouth his louelove, teſtifieth vntounto vsus, that which the vnderſtanding of man is not able to conceaue, I meane the vnſpeakable louelove and dilection which hee beareth vntounto his Church, to the end wee ſhould learn, the moſt neceſſarie point of our ſaluation, namelie, that whatſoeuer ſhe hath, proceedeth from the mere liberalitie and bounty of her Bridegroome, and that there is nothing in the whole world, either ſo faire, or ſo good, to ſpeake properlie, as are thoſe iewels wherewith hee adorneth his Church, waiting for the daie of the full and perfect conſummation of this marriage: a doctrine ſo ill knowen as nothing worſe, whereby it is impoſſible that the iudgement of God ſhould be far off frō vsus. For the greateſt vnthankfulnes that can be found amongeſt men is this, to be perſuaded that the friend to whom wee owe both our ſelues and whatſoeuer wee hauehave, hath found I know not what in vsus, which hath moued him to chuſe vsus, or happily hauing found vsus ſo ſo, hath preuented vsus by his grace, to the end, that how euer it be, ſome thing might bee found in vsus which meriteth and deſerueth his grace and fauor. To this we muſt oppoſe this word ſo often reiterated & repeated in this booke, to wit, My welbeloued, or as wee ſaie in our common ſpeach My louelove: which was after declared in his time by the Bridegroome himſelfe comming in perſon to ſtipulate and couenant this marriage in more nearer maner: I cal you not, ſaith he, my ſeruantes, but I cal you my frindes, (namely the frinds of this Bridegroome, as is ſpoken, Ioh. 3.29. and 15.15) And wherefore frinds & beloued? Becauſe, ſaith he, I hauehave loued you firſt, 1. Ioh. 4.10. & what ſhal we ſaie? O Lord who are thus thy beloued? They are thy naturall enemies, yea enemies by race and kinde, and from father vntounto ſonne. And wherefore then haſt thou loued them? To cauſe merciemercy to abound aboue the exceſſiuenes of ſinne. Rom. 5.20. finding the cauſe thereof no where elſe but in thy meere and onelyonly goodnes and bountie. And how far haſt thou loued them? Euen ſo far as to lay downe thy life for them, 1. Ioh. 3.16. Behold then a marueilous precious word and which diſcouereth vntounto vsus ſuch a ſecret as none can ſufficiently comprehend the length, the bredth, the depth thereof, Eph. 3.18. and 19. Let this word therefore my brethren, of welbeloued, be indeed ſo precious vntounto vsus, that the louelove of this woorld which is enmity with God, Iam. 4.4. bewitch vsus not, that the louelove of deciueable and periſhing riches poſſeſſe not our harts, that the falſe opinion and ſelfe-louelove of our ſelues, make vsus not to loſe this goodly treaſure, that we depriue not our ſelues of our bleſſing for a ſoupe as did Eſau, Heb. 12.16. but that this precious ſur-name of wel-beloued ring alwaies in our eares and in our heartes by the holy Ghoſt who ſoundeth the verie depths of God, 1. Cor. 2.10. namely the thinges which are giuen vsus of God: to the end that our whole life be a reciprocall & interchaungeable louelove towardes him who hath loued vsus ſo much.
8 But let vsus ſpeak now of the port and comelie tall feature of this ſo goodly and faire a ſpouſe. When the vigor and force of the ſoule lighteth on a bodie wel diſpoſed and ordered in al his members, without anie either obſtruction or other defect which hindereth the faculties and powers thereof from paſſing and ſpredding themſelues throughout the whole body, then truly the effectes thereof ſhew themſelues moſt euidentlie, from the verie heade vntounto the feete. Euen ſo fareth it with this ſpouſe, quickned, nouriſhed and ſuſtained by the ſpirit of her Bridegrome, & therefore ſheweth ſhe herſelfe moſt excellent and gallant through out: lifting vp her head vntounto the heauens, treading vnderunder her feete Satan, the world, and ſinne, yea defiing death it ſelfe and hell, Oſe. 13.14. & 1. Cor. 15.55. And therefore is ſhe compared elſewhere vntounto goodly great & tall trees planted along the waters, from whom no ſtormie time or ſeaſon taketh awaie either greennes or fruit, Pſal. 1.3. and 92.12. and 13. True it is notwithſtanding that this vineyard is ſometimes brouſed and marred by the vineyarders fault and negligence (as is at large declared, Pſal. 80.) nay beaten with hayle and tempeſt from aboue, as if the bridegroome had laide it as low as hee had raiſed it high, and al by the ſpouſes owne fault. But therefore hee beateth her downe to raiſe and lift her vp againe and to ſhew her how dearly he loueth her, and is iealous in chaſtiſing of her, Eſai. 49.21. making alwaies a great difference betweene the deſtruction of Sodome, and the viſitation of Sion, Eſai. 1.9. And though hee correct vsus ſome-times in his great wrath, yet doth he limit his diſpleaſure, Pſal.. 125.3. In a word the ſpouſe is ſometimes diuorced for a time, as ſhe was, ſcarſe ſeuenty yeares ago, but is afterward receiued againe, Ierem. 3.1. We are preſſed on eueryſide, but not crazed & broke: in need, but not diſtreſſed: perſecuted, but not forſaken: beaten downe, but wee periſh not, 2. Cor. 4.8.
9 But when was this ſpouſe in this port and ſtate? Certainly ſhee was neuer more triumphant and glittering then in the time of the Apoſtles, the doctrine of ſaluation beeing neuer better taught, neuer better harkened vntounto, neuer better practiſed. But, wil ſome man ſay, the Church was neuer more miſerable then it was then as the Apoſtle writeth, 1. Cor. 4.10. & the whole hiſtory of the Apoſtles in the Acts declareth. True; & this is the ſame which I meant to ſay, namely that the croſſe, is the charriot of triumph in which the Church the ſpouſe triumpheth and reioiceth in the Lorde, Gal. 6.14. & 2. Cor. 4.10. And indeed when can we ſay for our own time that the word of God had his forth and courſe and ſhewed his powerfull force, but during the great fires? For then death it ſelfe was bidden defiance, men went an hundred miles to hauehave a little crumme of this heauenly bread: the world and life it ſelfe were made no account of, men preſſed and thronged to ſnatch the kingdome of heauen by violence.
10 And now what? Edicts and Lawes being eſtabl…ſhed to this purpoſe, and ſome libertie and freedome offered and preſented, men contemn that which is euerie day at their doore. If we ſhould be ſent into the ſuburbs or fields after it, that were too farre; if ſome monie muſt be made for the relieuing of the poore woorke-men, this coſts too deare: in a word the Manna which was at the firſt ſo ſweete in our mouthes, hath nowe no reliſh: the Lorde of his mercy remedy it, and giuegive vsus a better mind. We deſire peace and quietneſſe, but it is for nothing els, but to be at our eaſe: and that is the cauſe that this benefit flyeth from vsus, & God knoweth alſo that if wee had it we would abuſe it.
11 Let vsus therefore relie our ſelues on him who giueth vsus & our poore brethren peace, after ſo long & ſo rough ſtorms, let vsus take heed we be not like horſes fatted on the litter, & wil afterwarde abide neither bridle nor ſaddle, but fling out with all foure, and ſpecially againſt their maſter: Deutr. 32.15. If on the contrariſide he chaſtiſe vsus with any ſcourge it ſhall pleaſe him, let vsus ſhew, that his power is made perfect by our weakeneſſe, 2. Cor 12.9. and reioice that it is giuen vsus to be made conformable vntounto our head, Rom. 8.29. & Phil. 1.29. & Acts. 5.41. In a word let thoſe combats which are giuen vsus, whet and ſharpen the power which is giuen vsus from aboue. The world in the meane while will laugh vsus to ſcorne and will cal vsus fooles & franticke monarkes, but it ſhall weepe in his time, and wee ſhall laugh in the Lord in that our ſeaſon, when that which is giuen vsus alreadie to bee, ſhalbe reuealed, 1. Ioh. 3.2.
12 Moreouer let vsus note that this ſpouſe is compared vntounto a goodly horſe, & to couples linked together, which is ſpoken by a moſt proper and fine ſimilitude. For the church repreſented by this name of ſpouſe (in aſmuch as according vntounto the lords petition & requeſt we are al of vsus one in him, Ioh. 17.11. and all members compoſing one and the ſame bodie, 1. Cor. 12.12.) what thing is it elſe but a company coupled and yoked, as a man would ſay, two by two vnderunder the yoake, ſaying one to the other, aſwell by wordes as alſo by example, Come let vsus aſcend vp vntounto the mount of the Lord, Eſay. 2.3. and with Dauid, Pſal. 22.2. I reioiced when they ſaid vntounto me, we wil go into the houſe of the Lord, Pſal. 122.1. Briefly the whole Scripture is full of ſuch exhortations, that wee ſhould al iointly together tend vntounto the ſame marke, yea & that not only in going but in running, as I tould you on the 4. verſe, the ſtronger ſupporting the weaker which is coupled with him, Gal. 6.2. and 1. Theſſ. 5.14. And this is the cauſe why it was ordained in the law, that a mā ſhould not couple an Horſe and an Aſſe to labour together, for feare the one ſhould not draw the other vnderunder his feet, Deutr. 22.10. And thus you ſee what this holy aſſembly is whereof we hauehave here a ſinguler patterne, whereunto the holy ghoſt had reſpect in numbering of the Apoſtles by ſix couples, Mat. 10.2. & in ſending them forth two and two, Mark. 6.7. not at auentures, but as it is likely, according as they were wont to follow their maſter by order & not by any degree, the one had aboue the other, as after it happened they diſputed thereof more then once.
13 But in lieu of holding themſelues to the deciſion their maſter and ours hath made in this behalfe, they who cal themſelues the Apoſtles ſucceſſours (as a wicked man may well ſucceed a good man in what title ſoeuer) hauehave changed this order into ſuperiorities and prelateſhips, nay which more is, are gotten themſelues vp into the charriot, inſteed of drawing coupled in it, in which the chiefe conductour of this charriot being ſitten, vaunteth himſelfe & ſaith, that though he ſhould driue it full of ſoules vntounto hell, yet is it not for any liuing creature to ſay vntounto him, Why doeſt thou ſo? Theſe are the verie wordes of one of theſe goodly ſucceſſours of the Apoſtles in one of his Canons and Decrees. And do we marueile then if this charriot hauehave gon ſo aſide, nay if it hath beene turned vpſide downe, and not kept in the right path-way? As little are meant by theſe coupled horſes, theſe wallet breethren, going by two & two or rather by troupes, like locuſtes & caterpillers, browſing and deuouring the wretched world.
14 As little appertaine theſe wilde and diſſolute liuers to this ioint coupling, who leaue not to runne wilde ouer the fallowes, vntil they hauehave their necks broken: and who in lieu of ſubiecting them to this ſo ſweete and ſo gracious a yoake of the Lorde, Matth. 11.29. ſaie they muſt caſt awaie theſe bondes, Pſalm 2.3. not conſidering that to ſerue the Lord is trulie to raigne, whereas themſelues become more then miſerable, beeing bondſlaues of ſinne, Ioh. 8.34. and drawen vnderunder the Captiuitie of the enemie of our ſaluation as pleaſeth him, 2. Timoth. 2.26. Let vsus on the contrary ſide hearken vntounto the Lorde, warning vsus if wee will bee his true Diſciples to beare his Croſſe after him, Matthew 16.24. hauing alwaies our hammes ſupple and readie Heb. 12.12. to followe on the courſe of our vocation vntounto the end.
Almighty God &c.