Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs, Sermon 17
THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON. Our helpe be in the name of God, &c. It is written as followeth in the ſecond Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles, the 3. and 4. verſes.
3 As is the Apple tree among the trees of the forreſt, ſo is my Welbe-loued among the young men. I hauehave earneſtly deſired his ſhade, I ſate downe, and his fruite was ſweete vntounto my mouth.
4 He brought me into the place of the banquet, and his banner ouer me was Dilection or LoueLove.
1 Wherefore the Bridegroome is likewiſe compared vntounto a tree which beareth fruite.
2 What the forreſt of this woorlde is ſince the Sin of man, and what difference there is betweene this tree and others.
3 Whence the appetite we hauehave of eating of the fruite of this tree, oppoſed to that tree whoſe fruit our firſt father was forbidden to eate, proceedeth.
4 It is not inough to looke on this tree and to account him faire: but we muſt alſo ſit vnderunder the ſhadow of him.
5 We muſt alſo eate of the fruit therof, and this fruite is verie ſweete.
6 The Bridegroome leadeth his ſpouſe farther hauing eaten and relliſhed this fruit into the hall where the banquet is, that all of vsus togither be there fullie fed and ſatisfied; which thing is at this daie eſpeciallie repreſented vntounto vsus in the banquet of the holie Supper.
7 Where this banquetting hall is, and how we ought to behaue our ſelues therein being brought into it.
8 A compariſon of this banquetting hall, with the haunts of the falſe Church.
9 A large & ample deſcription of the banner of Dilection, vnderunder which the ſpouſe reſteth and repoſeth.
10 An exhortation to come vntounto this banquet.
WE hauehave vnderſtood in the two verſ. going before what teſtimony the Bridegrome, who knoweth himſelfe and his ſpouſe beſt, hath giuen of that perfection which is in himſelf, & of that which it pleaſeth him to like and accept of in his ſpouſe. Followeth now what the ſpouſe teſtifieth ſhee hath found & receiued of the excellencie of her Bridegroome, whom ſhee compareth vntounto an apple tree full of moſt pleaſant fruit and growing in the midſt of a foreſt of wilde trees and ſuch as are vtterlie different in nature from this apple-tree: wherein are ſhewed vsus great and high myſteries. For firſt of al it is true that in reſpect of the ſpirituall noriſhment and life, the ſimple ſauor and ſmell of a Roſe or ſome other flower doth beſt repreſent it vntounto vsus, and after a more ſpirituall manner then groſſe and materiall meate, as a Peare or other like fruit: but to aſſure vsus of that which we ought to ſeek after for the ſuſtenance of the true life, the infirmitie of our faith requireth that we ſhould bee taught according vntounto our rudeneſſe and weakneſſe. And this is the cauſe why, for that men liue not by the odour and ſmell of flowers, but muſt eate and drink to be ſuſtained: the holy ghoſt compareth and likeneth in this place this Bridegrome, whom he had before compared vntounto a Roſe and a Lilly, vntounto an apple-tree and other like fruitful tree. For the woorde which Salomon heere vſeth, as alſo that of the latins which ſignifieth an apple, comprehendeth in generall euerie fruitful tree mē eate of, be it of apple, or nut. So we ſee that vnderunder the auncient couenant the Lord repreſented this Bridegroome and the life which we receiue of him, by the ſacrifices and oblations of creatures more corporal then this: and vnderunder the new couenant hee would hauehave water and bread and wine to be vntounto vsus ſacramentall ſignes of that which himſelfe doth in vsus vntounto the end and conſummation of the world.
2 The Bridegroome therefore is compared by the ſpouſe vntounto a fruitful tree, but planted in the middeſt of a forreſt, and amongſt other trees which are nothing like vntounto him. Wherein we ſee what a correſpondence there is betweene the Church, which is as a Roſe among the thornes, and her Bridegrome being a fruitful tree planted among other wild trees. Before the ſinne and tranſgreſſion of man it was not ſo, when there was nothing neither among the fruites of the earth, nor otherwiſe in al this whole worlde, which agreed not with God the Creator, and which was not anſwering vntounto the deſire of man, whom God appointed to be ruler and gouerner of al theſe inferiour creatures. But the ſinne of man hauing brought foorth thornes and bryars, Gen. 3.18. it is no maruaile if this change and alteration be found: but this is rather to bee woondred at, that it pleaſeth the Lord of his infinite goodnes to grub vp in ſome part of the world theſe brambles and bryars, and to plant himſelfe there as a fruitful tree, to the end that ſome number, whome it hath pleaſed him to elect before the foundation of the world, might feede and be ſuſtained vnderunder his ſhadow. Wee read in the prophecie of Daniel, Dan. 4.20. how that great monarck Nebuchadnetzer is cōpared vntounto a goodly great tree vnderunder which the greateſt part of the woorld had a couert. But this implieth nothing but a temporall power, and ſuch as continueth but a ſmall time. And therefore all ſuch trees are ſubiect to bee cut downe, yea rooted vp and conſumed in their time, as it is written in that prophecie. But heere mention is made of an apple-tree which repreſenteth him whoſe kingdome is euerlaſting, as the father who planted it promiſed it ſhould bee: whereas contrariwiſe al wild plantes ſhal one daie be rooted vp and caſt into euerlaſting fier. This is then the imp which is ſprouted out of the ſtocke of Iſaie, vnderunder whom all the nations of the earth ſhould be gathered there to reſt themſelues, Eſai. 11.1.10. and this goodlie tree of life figured by that in the garden of paradiſe, Gen. 2.9. Apoc. 2.7. of whom whoſoeuer eateth he can neuer die. But let vsus note well that which the ſpouſe addeth. For whereunto would this tree ſerue vsus if wee applied him not to his right vſe? Happie is that womb which bare thee, ſaid that womā of whom it is ſpoken, Luk. 11.27. and happie are the pops which gaue thee ſuck. But the Lord aunſwered that they were more happy who hear the word of the lord & keep it. Which is no other then this which the ſpouſe here ſaith, namely, that ſhe ſate downe vnderunder the ſhadow of this Apple-tree, & hath eaten of the fruit which ſhee found moſt ſweete and pleaſaunt vntounto her taſt. But let vsus ſet downe and examine al the wordes which ſhee heere vſeth.
3 I hauehave, ſaith ſhe, earneſtly deſired to be vnderunder thy ſhadow. Wee muſt therefore firſt of al hauehave this hungrie appetite, which we ſaie in common ſpeech, is a good ſawce for all kinde of meate. But alas hauehave we it of our ſelues? No. Experience ſheweth vsus we hauehave it not. For the world is ſo farre from ſeeking after this foode, that contrariwiſe, albeit the Bridegroom hath ſo long a time cryed by his Prophet, Come, come yee which are thirſty, come yee to the waters, and yee that hauehave no ſiluer, come take and eate, come I ſaie take wine and milk without ſiluer and without mony. Wherefore laie you out your ſubſtaunce for foode which is naught worth, and why emploie you the trauel for a thing which ſatisfieth you not? Hearken diligently vntounto me, and eate that which is good, and let your ſoule be merry with this fatnes. Encline your eare & come vntounto me, & harken vntounto me that your ſoulmate liue, & that I may make an euerlaſting couenāt with you, & may ratifie my free & ſure promiſes made vntounto Dauid, Eſa. 55.1. & cryed yet again in perſō & that with a loud & ſhril voice ſtanding in the tēple, ſaying: If anie man thirſt, let him come vntounto me and drink. He that beleeueth in me, as ſaith the Scripture, out of his belly ſhall flow riuers of water of life, Ioh. 7.37.38. And in another place, Come, come yee vntounto me all that trauel & are heauie laden, and I will refreſh you, Mat. 11.28. although I ſaie the Bridegroome cryeth out in this ſort, yet is there ſcarſe one man to be found among a thouſand, who hath notwithſtanding eares to …ear, feete to goe after, handes to reach after and to receiue this heauenly food and noriſhment. Nay which is more, ſome being inuited and called to the banquet refuſe to come, others ſpit out againe the food they there did eat, which they ſhould hauehave kept within thē & digeſted, a thing verily moſt lamentable & pitiful to cōſider. Knowing therfore that we are ſo clean out of taſt of this meate, that wee hauehave no appetite at all of our owne nature to anie thing ſaue that which is hurtful and deadlie, let vsus be carefull and diligent to praie vntounto our good God, to forme in vsus a contrarie deſire, to knowe and conſider of the beuty & goodnes of this fruite. We read how Eue our firſt mother, poyſoned with the venom of that old ſerpent, had an appetite to the eating of that fruite which ſhe was forbidden, becauſe ſhe ſaw it fair to ſee, and good to eat. In that ſhe thought it to be faire and goodlie to ſee, therein ſhe deceiueth her ſelfe nothing at all, but (had not her vnderſtanding beene vtterlie corrupted ſhe would neuer hauehave thought that that could bee good to eate, the eating whereof ſhee was forbidden by the mouth of her Creator himſelfe. In ſuch ſort doth Satan deale with vsus euerie daie, by the meanes of our concupiſcences ſette on fire and entiſed by the outward ſhewe and appearance of thinges, to bring vsus vntounto ſinne and tranſgreſſion: and yet wee doe much worſe and are more deceiued a great deale then euer Eue was. For the tree which ſhe tooke to be faire, was indeed faire and pleaſant to behold, though it was not good to be eaten of. But as for vsus, beſides that wee abuſe the beuty and goodneſſe of the creatures of God as ſhe did, we are ſo blinde, that that which is moſt foule ſeemeth vntounto vsus moſt faire, and that moſt ſweete which is indeede moſt bitter, vntill ſuch time as it pleaſeth God of his merciemercy to chaunge our ſenſes, and to enable them throughly to diſcerne betweene that which is good & that which is euil, Heb. 5.14. In a word this tree wherof the ſpouſe here ſpeaketh, is that of which if we eate not, we can hauehave no life in vsus, contrarie to that tree, of which our firſt Parentes were forbidden vnderunder paine of death to eate.
4 And ſeeing the deadly taſt of that forbidden tree hath cauſed vsus to loſe all luſt and appetite of eating and liking the fruit of the ſecond, which is the only remedie we hauehave againſt death, we are continually to pray vntounto God, that it will pleaſe him to make vsus to know the beuty and goodneſſe of this fruit, to hauehave a through appetite thereunto, to deſire firſt to ſit vsus vnderunder the ſhadowe of it: which thing we are diligently to conſider of. For among other commodities which trees hauehave, in places of heat & of parching, their freſh & wholſome ſhade is not the leaſt. And what heat or burning is greater then that of this world, ſeeing we beare beſides within our ſelues, as it were the ſuburbs of hel, where that fire is which is neuer quēched? True it is that according vntounto the example of the rich man ▪ of whom mention is made, Luk. 15. the men of this world inſteed of perceiuing this wretched and miſerable eſtate, find therein a certain cool refreſhing, & cannot abide thē who would bring thē thence vntounto this true refreſhing ſhade, but in the end they feele it to their great & remediles ſorrow; whē they are fallen, as we ſay, out of a could feuer into an hot ague, from whence they can neuer get out again. This ſhade therfore is the true repoſe & reſt of a mans conſcience, which is no where els to be found but vnderunder this tree, which we ought aboue all things to couet after, as himſelfe alſo ſignifieth by that leſſon which he teacheth vsus, Mat. 11.29. Let vsus adde hereunto that which the ſpouſe ſaith, namely, that ſhe is ſitten vnderunder this ſhade. For to what purpoſe were it to enter into a place of refreſhing, & afterward to go out of it? And this is it which ſerueth as it were for an inditemēt againſt ſo many flying & giddy minds & ſpirits, who happily begin wel, but end moſt il: ſome of thē wauering now on oneſide, & ſometimes on an other, without reſoluing them ſelues any way, as Elias reproched them of his time, 1. King. 18.24. others whirling about like fanes and wethercockes with euerie winde, Epheſ. 4.14. Iam. 1.6. others turning themſelues the cleane contrary way, as an infinite number of lewd and wicked Apoſtataes and reuolters doe at this day, for whom it would hauehave beene better they had neuer bin borne. To all this ſort of dealing is oppoſed that which the Spouſe ſaith in this place, that ſhee is ſitten vnderunder the ſhade of this tree. Which ſerueth not onelyonly to the reproofe and condemnation of thoſe whom we hauehave already ſpoken of, but alſo of a ſort of curious companions who come neare the tree, onelyonly to gaze on it and to looke on them who ſitte vnderunder it; as alſo of thoſe, who albeit they depart not from vnderunder the ſhade of this tree, but pretend to ſtay vnderunder it, notwithſtanding are alwaies gadding ſo after this and that, that they feele not the one halfe of this comfortable refreſhing of this ſhade. Which thing is repreſented vntounto vsus in the perſon of Martha, preferring the deſire ſhe had of prouiding of corruptible foode for her gueſt, the true & incorruptible life, ſo far as to take it il that her ſiſter Mary al that time ſate ſtil at Ieſus feet hearkening vntounto his word. But what did the Lord anſwere her? Martha, Martha, thou art carefull and encombreſt thy ſelfe after many things, but one thing is neceſſary, Mary hath choſen the better part, which ſhall neuer be taken from her. And would to God all of vsus had well & throughly learned this leſſon. Which if we had, we ſhould ſee no longer others walking vp and downe and telling of newes, others ſitting at their tables a making of good cheere, others in their ſhoppes marchandiſing and traffiking, others out of towne to get in their debts, or rather their reuenewes, while the Lorde inuiteth vsus to be at his feete and vnderunder the coole ſhade of that incomparable ſweete refreſhing of his. Wee hauehave a long time warned eueryevery one hereof, and we cry out for it in vaine, but wiſedome cannot be iuſtified but by her children.
5 The ſpouſe therefore witneſſeth vntounto vsus the contrary, that ſhee is ſitten vnderunder the ſhade, and which is more, ſhee addeth that ſhe was not idle neither. For ſhe emploied her time to feed herſelfe with the fruite of this tree, whoſe excellent ſweetnes ſhe highly commendeth. The houſe of god, which is the encloſure of this tree, and the harbour and dwelling place of the church, is not the encloſure of ſome precious and ſtately building, whereinto a man entreth to ſee the goodly woorkemanſhip of vaultes or of pillers, the glittering of gold, and of ſiluer, and of precious ſtones, nor a place into which a man goeth to hear the Quire or the Organes which fill the eares: but it is a place where the pure word of God is ſincerely preached in the hearing and ſight of eueryevery man, with exhortations, conſolations, warnings and neceſſary reprehenſions vntounto ſaluation, not to returne thence but being fed with the true and ſolide food of ineſtimable ſweeteneſſe to the ſoules of them who taſt and ſauour it indeede. For this is indeede the foode which cauſed Saint Peter and his companions to ſtay with Ieſus Chriſt their maſter, when others departed from him, at what time the ſame Saint Peter ſaid vntounto his maſter, Lord, to whom ſhall we goe? Thou haſt the words of eternall life, Ioh. 6.68. as it is elſewhere ſaid, that the doctrine of the eternall and euerliuing is the reſtority of the ſoule, that the teſtimony of the euerliuing is true, giuing wiſedome vntounto the ignorant, the commaundements of the euerliuing are right, reioycing the ſoule, & the doctrine of the euerliuing pure, enlightening the eies, more to be deſired then gold, yea then the fineſt gold, & more ſweete then any hony, yea the hony combe. Pſal. 19.8. &c.
6 Nowe the ſpouſe to ſhewe vsus that this Bridegroome of hers nouriſheth her not by halfes, but prouideth her of drinke aſwell as of meate, addeth that the Bridegroome hath led her from vnderunder this tree, into a place appointed for the drinking of his wine, if we had not rather vnderſtand by theſe words which Salomon here vſeth the banquetting hall: wherein we are firſt to note that ſhe ſaith not, that ſhe went, but that the Bridegrome led her thither: to the end wee alwaies remember, that as grace beginneth in vsus our ſaluation, creating in vsus to will, ſo muſt the ſame grace guide and direct forwarde the ſame will which it gaue vsus. For without this inſteede of making forward one pace, we ſhal fal flat to the ground. But as it is he which leadeth vsus, ſo wee muſt folowe him: and ſo by conſequent it is not ynough to hauehave eaten of this fruite in our owne home, but wee muſt goe in vntounto the banquet. We muſt I ſaie ioyne our ſelues vntounto our brethren, & make a good confeſſion of our faith altogither euen before men alſo▪ as for this ende, namely for this common banquet, the ſeuenth daie hath beene from the beginning of the world ſeparated from the other, and the three ſolemne feaſtes eſtabliſhed vnderunder the Lawe. Such alſo were at the beginning of the Chriſtian Church thoſe common feaſtes of the Chriſtians, whereof mention is made in the Actes of the Apoſtles, and 1. Cor. 11.20. and Iude 12. ioined with the celebration of the holie Supper. Where are then the falſe Nicodemites of our daies? Where are they who for fear of men keepe themſelues cloſe, bearing themſelues in hand that they need not to come in vntounto the banquet? No, no, the Lord wil hauehave indeede eueryevery man to meditate and praie by himſelf too ſitting vnderunder the ſhade of this tree, but hee will hauehave alſo euerie one to enter in into this banquetting hall, and there to feaſt togither, for which cauſe alſo chriſtian aſſemblies hauehave a ſpeciall promiſe, Matth. 18.20. and 24.18. as there is a ſpecial warning alſo giuen vsus that wee take heede howe wee deſpiſe ſuch aſſemblies, Heb. 10.15. for which cauſe wee ſee many horrible iudgementes fallen vponupon manie. Let vsus alſo learne that grace is added vntounto grace vntounto him, vntounto whom it is giuen to vſe it well, as is ſhewed in the parable of the talentes, Matth. 25. which is heere declared vsus by that which the ſpouſe ſaith, namely, that being before as it were in the fielde, ſate vnderunder this tree, and eating of the fruite thereof with a good ſtomacke, ſhe was afterwardes led in farther into the hall of this great feaſt, where ſhee was yet more aboundantly fedde, and that in ſuch ſort as that ſhe confeſſeth that ſhee fell into a ſound, not beeing able to receiue and conceiue of ſuch exceeding intertainement. Let vsus note in the third place which I hauehave touched in one word, namelie, that Ieſus Chriſt prouideth vsus not onelyonly of meat, but alſo of drinke too, that is to ſay, that in him alone wee muſt wholly and entirely ſeeke after and find our whole ſuſtenance and ſpiritual noriſhment. Which he would alſo ſhew vsus viſiblie & ſenſibly in the bread of the holie Supper, which is a certaine & ſure teſtimonie of the partaking of the bodie which was giuen for vsus: and in the wine which is the ſacrament of the precious blood ſhed for vsus, not to be ſet before our viſible eie (ſeeing it cannot now be ſeene but by the eies of faith) but to bee trulie communicated after a ſpirituall faſhion vntounto a ſpirituall and eternal life. The like is to bee vnderſtood of the ordinarie preaching and adminiſtration of the word, in which alſo Ieſus Chriſt preſenteth himſelfe wholy vntounto vsus, to be receiued as it were by the hand of faith.
7 And therefore let vsus remēber, my brethren, that this place, this place I ſay, wherein wee are, as alſo all other aſſemblies of the faithful, were there but two or three gathered together, are this wine-ſeller or banquetting hal of that great King of whom mentiō is made, Luk. 14.17. And who is he who being admitted into the houſe of ſome great Lord, to ſit with him at his table, would willingly & wittingly bring thither with him any filthineſſe or villany? Therefore alwaies and as oft as we heare the trumpet of the Lord to ſound, calling vsus into his houſe, I meane ſo oft as wee heare the bell ringing vntounto a ſermon, we ought not to go▪ but to runne, nay to fly thither: & yet not ſo at randon, but that we firſt prepare our ſelues, through a true cō trition, and conſideration both of the death of him who inuiteth vsus vntounto this banquet, preuenting vsus by his great mercy, as alſo of the excellēcy of that treaſure which he wil there diſtribute vntounto vsus, that we bring thither a mind apt and ready to be taught, an heart full of appetite of this heauenly foode: in a woorde, a moſt ardent deſire of receiuing, eating, liking and digeſting ſo precious a meate, to ſhew afterwards the fruits & effectes thereof, within and without our houſe, at home and abroade, farre and neare, by all our actions aſwel of the body as alſo of the minde. But what? It is no marueile though we hauehave no taſt and feeling of ſuch a liberality of our God, ſeeing the moſt part contemne it, others eate of this food but for a faſhion, and very few there be who digeſt it, to bee ſuſteined by it, a miſerable and lamentable caſe, and for which we ſhal pay one day ſweetely, if wee thinke not betimes better vponupon it.
8 But I pray you wherein do thoſe peſtilent harbours of Idoles, which they cal the bookes of the ignorant, reſemble the hall of this banquet? Where inſteede of adminiſtring this precious liquor, mens eares are filled with howlings, and their harts impoiſoned with errors, where vnderunder ſhadowe of deuotion & bearing men in hand that they are fedde by an attourney, they deuour widdowes houſes, yea Kings Crownes and ſcepters: where in lieu of the true Ieſus Chriſt, they feede the woorlde with a Ieſus Chriſt of paſt, & for a full meaſure of all manner of ſacrilege, they hauehave vtterly rakt away one of the two ſacramentes of the holy ſupper. But if theſe be to be condemned, as ſure they are, what ſhall become of thē who come vntounto this banquet, otherwiſe well prouided and adminiſtred, to their iudgement and condemnation?
9 Moreouer wee may not lightly paſſe ouer that which the ſpouſe addeth, namely that the banner or ſtandarde, or enſigne of her bridegroome which is vponupon her, that is to ſay, vnderunder which ſhe marcheth, is called dilection or good-will. For as in an armie, the enſigne is it, which diſtinguiſheth eueryevery band and company vnderunder which euerie ſouldiar is to march, ſo the louelove and good-wil which Ieſus Chriſt beareth vsus is that, which aſſembleth vsus together to compoſe this bodie which is called the Church: which linketh and keepeth vsus one to an other, which helpeth and aideth vsus in all the aſſaults and combates which wee are to ſuſtaine. For what induced and perſwaded this great God to make the worlde for man? Nothing but his good pleaſure to make a creature, in which he would declare by effect his ſingular louelove and affection, that is to ſaie, becauſe he would make one creature whom he would indeed entirely louelove, ſo far as to make it gouernour & ruler of al the creatures elſe below, as if he had reſerued for himſelf the place aboue, to commit vntounto him that below, Pſal. 115.16. And now certainlie this is exceeding much, nay ſo great, as no man is able to comprehend the infinitnes of ſuch bountie towardes the creature which was not yet in beeing: but what is this in compariſon of that which is ſhewed in the woork of the redemption of this vnthankful and traiterous creature? And that before the foundation of the world he prouided for this, that man being thus iuſtlie condemned vntounto death, ſhould not onelie not periſh, but be exalted by meanes of his exceeding louelove into a degree aboue the Angels themſelues? Epheſ. 1.2. In ſuch ſort, as that a man maie and ought to ſaie, not praiſing the euill, but praiſing him who draweth light out of darkneſſe: O ha…pie fal which hath brought vsus higher: o moſt happie darkneſſe without which this truly great light, had neuer appeared vntounto vsus. For mā had he not falled, had continued a creature faſhioned for his excellent qualities, to be as it were a viſible pourtrait of the inuiſible creator: but the fall of his which made him like vntounto the brute beaſts, ſerued for an occaſion vntounto the creator, not to be aſhamed of him, but to ioyn & vnite mā ſo neer vntounto himſelfe, that hee and the eternall Sonne of God are but one perſon, Man-God, and God-man. And what moued God to doe this admirable worke? Certainly nothing but his infinit goodnes & louelove, as the Prophet writeth, Pſal. 8.5. and 144.3. And who can ſay the contrarie? This counſaile of his beeing once determined, what induced this great God to execute and perfourme it by ſo rare, ſo ſtraunge, ſo admirable a meanes, that the Angels themſelues (according as it was figured in thoſe two Cherubins hauing their face turned ouer the couering of the Arke of the couenant) doe yet deſire to comprehend it more & more, Exod. 25.10. and 1. Pet. 1.12. Certainelie this cannot hauehave proceeded but from the ſame fountaine of his vnſpeakable dilection and louelove, through which hee had accepted of vsus in his ſon, Epheſ. 1.6. & Ioh. 3.16. And what moued this Bridegrome, the eternall of God, to chuſe vntounto himſelfe this polluted mayden to make her his ſpouſe? To beare with her for ſo manie her adulteries? Ier. 3.1. What more? To make himſelfe ſubiect vntounto the curſe of the father, Gal. 3.13. to giuegive his life for her, Epheſ. 5.25. to carry her ſinnes euen vponupon the tree of his croſſe, 1. Pet. 2.24. Phi. 2.8. Certainlie this louelove and goodwill of his, the depth whereof no man is able to ſound, or meaſure the height, bredth, or length thereof, Eph. 3.18 And what is the ground and foundation of our faith, but this aſſurance, that we are loued with an vnuariable and vnchaungeable Dilection? Rom. 8.38. And how could wee hope in him, and how cal vponupon him without the teſtimonie of the holie Ghoſt, which teacheth vsus and ſealeth it vsus in our hearts that he loueth vsus? Rom. 8.15. Ga. 4.6. 1. Cor. 2.12. Iam. 1.6. This is it therefore in a word which the ſpouſe would ſaie in this place, that nothing elſe inuiteth her to retire her ſelfe vntounto God, and to hauehave her refuge vntounto him, nothing aſſureth and aſcertaineth her, nothing elſe diſtinguiſheth and maketh her different from the world, but the louelove which her Bridegrome beareth her, whereunto as vntounto her enſigne ſhe keepeth her ſelfe, to bee couered therwith and as it it were wrapped in it. Neither may we think it ſtraunge that the name of Dilection or LoueLove is giuen vntounto this ſtandard, ſeeing that yet more ſignificantlie the name of LoueLove or Dilection is attributed vntounto God himſelfe, becauſe that he is the fountaine thereof from whence it floweth vponupon vsus, beeing his nature to louelove man▪ yea, ſuch as he hath choſen, whom hee iuſtifieth and ſanctifieth, and wil finally glorifie. And this LoueLove engendreth, back againe another louelove in vsus, being giuen vsus to louelove him, who hath loued vsus ſo much as is to be ſeene by this whole Canticle. And this is the cauſe why the ſpouſe addeth that ſhee ſoundeth with mutual Dilection which ſhee beareth vntounto her welbeloued. The expoſition whereof we wil defer vntounto another time.
10 Let vsus now take all heedefull care to make our profit of this ſo excellent and precious a doctrine, ſuffering God to lead vsus into this great and goodlie hall of the banquet, whereunto we are inuited euerie daie, let vsus forget whatſoeuer is without, to keepe vsus vntounto this precious banquet, let vsus forget, I ſaie, the louelove of this world and of our ſelues, as if there were therin any commodity or happines, whereas all this is nothing elſe but vanitie of vanities: let vsus cheare our ſelues in this feaſt with this true wine, quickning our ſpirites and eating of this ſweete fruit of eternal life: and let our whole heart bee on high, where he looketh for vsus and reacheth out his armes there to receiue vsus, and to make vsus his coheirs & companions with him of the kingdome of heauen, with him, I ſaie, who hath loued vsus ſo much and ſhal louelove vsus vntounto the end. And becauſe that contrarie vntounto our duety in this behalfe, wee hauehave beene, and yet are ſo ſlothfull and ſo giuen vntounto the worlde, and vntounto our ſelues, naie ſo rebellious towards him and vnthankful, wee wil craue merciemercy at his handes as followeth.
Almighty God &c.