Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs, Sermon 23
THE XXIII SERMON. Our help be in the name of God &c. It is written as followeth in the third Chapter of the Canticle of Canticles, the firſt verſe.
1 By night in my bed I ſought him whō my ſoule loueth: I ſought him, but I found him not.
1 The ſpouſe by falling aſleepe in her chiefeſt peace & tranquillity is the cauſe of her own deſolation.
2 The Bridegroome notwithstanding leaueth not to awake her in his time, and the great difference which is betweene this awaking and that which proceedeth from the biting of ſin.
3 The faults committed in the ſeeking after the Bridegroome, which is the cauſe why hee is not found by ſuch ſeeking after.
4 The greatest bleſſings of God both temporall and ſpirituall, by ill vſing of them, become the instrumentes of mans ruine and destruction.
5 Application of this doctrine to ſuch as are aſleepe in our time.
6 An other kinde of ſleepe which turneth often times into an incureable lethargie.
7 The reſolution wee ought to make touching the pointes which are at this day controuerſed in Chriſtendome, in the matter of religion.
8 An anſwere vntounto them, who ſay that we ſel Paradiſe verie good cheape.
9 We must riſe out of our bed to finde this Bridegroome.
10 The concluſion of this matter, with an exhortation for the through practiſe of this doctrine.
WEE hauehave in the Chapter going before vnderſtoode and ſeene the ſweete and gracious behauiour of the Bridegrome in careſſing and entertaining of his ſpouſe, and repoſing of her in a moſt happie reſt, looking for ſtill notwithſtanding and expecting another more near arriuall & comming of his, namelie then, when hee ſhould come as the Sunne riſing from on high to giuegive light vntounto the woorld, and when the figures and ſhadowes of the Law ſhould hauehave an end, as it is ſaide, Eſai. 9.2. and by Zacharie yet more expreſlie in that excellent Canticle or Song of his. It ſeemed then that all went the beſt that might be in the woorld, the temple of the Lord beeing perfected and ended with ſo great magnificencie, al that ſeruice ſo well eſtabliſhed, and the ſtate of the kingdome ſo wiſely gouerned and adminiſtred by Salomon. And indeed, we may and ought to ſaie, that the Church was then maruailous goodlie and glittering, and al the people in exceeding great quiet and peace. The ſame may likewiſe bee ſaide of the eſtate of the Church in the time of Ioſua, the people beeing brought as it were into the reſt of the Lord, as himſelf ſpeaketh, Pſal. 95.11. But what? This endured not long, as it was alſo foretolde by Moſes, Deut. 32.15. which thing is heere in this place deſcribed, or rather moſt diuinely painted forth vntounto vsus, containing doctrine altogether neceſſary for our time, that we be not deceiued to the endamaging of our own ſaluatiō. For the church of god is fallen frō age to age into that miſerable eſtate whereof mention is made, Mat. 13.13.25. by beeing by little & litle brought into an heauie ſlumber, by her ouer great eaſe, in ſuch ſort that while ſhee is aſleepe the enemie hath ſet vp his ſeate and prepared it as he would in the verie midſt of the houſe of God, as the Apoſtle foretolde it, 2. Theſſ. 2.4.5. and ſo on. And when at this daie the Lorde would awake her, the moſt part hauehave ſuch bleare eies that they cannot nor wil not open them: others are in ſo deepe a ſlumber that though they bee waked with neuer ſo great ſtrokes of the whip, yet they lay their head downe againe vponupon the pillow: but in general there where the pot ſeethes is our holy mother the Church. In a word if you will beleeue them the gilden ſteeple of S. Peter at Rome, & the chair wherin they ſay he ſate, are the eſſential, immutable, neceſſary, & infallible viſible marks of the true religion & of the Church which they cal Roman & Catholick ▪ that is, particular & vniuerſal both togither. Al this foūded, if you wil hauehave me ſay that which is, vpō this repoſe of too great an eaſe. But to bring farther aſleep thoſe who are already brought aſleep, there are no faire pretences wanting, of the excellency of S. Peter among the reſt of the Apoſtles, which they turn into a principality: afterwards for that Saint Paul ſo highly commendeth the faith of the Romanes of his time, as if their ſucceſſors were like vntounto them. Beſides this they alleadge the preeminencie which the Biſhops of Rome had aboue others, which wee know well enough, proceeded partly vponupon the autority of that City, as being the head cittie of the whole Empire▪ which preeminencie was alſo maintained by the godlines and conſtancie of the Biſhops there & the notable examples of their martyrdomes: partly alſo beeing afterward autorized by the firſt councell of Nice, vntill ſuch time as the perſecutions ceaſing, and ambition together with wealth & riches encreaſing, eueryevery one ſleeping ſoundly in their peace, entred in place of doctrine doting dreames, ſo that finally the poore ſpouſe at her awaking found herſelfe in a moſt wretched & miſerable eſtate, in which ſhee yet continueth to this day, perſecuted in ſo greeuous manner as ſhee is, by the officers of the whore, who hath taken her place while ſhe ſlept ſo quietly, as it was alſo expreſly foretold of the Church of Rome, both by Saint Paul, and alſo by Saint Iohn in his Apocalyps, if we wil credit in this behalfe the moſt auncient expoſitors, Greekes and Latins. And (as it is come to paſſe by a more thē admirable prouidence of God herein) the Italians thēſelues, whoſe poems & rimes are at this day printed & ſong in Rome, cal her Babylon ful of couetouſnes & impiety, the harbour of the wrath of God, & the temple of hereſie, beſides that common experience maketh the ſame moſt plaine & euident vntounto the eie of thoſe, who are not vtterly blinde. Neither is it in our time, or our fathers time onelyonly, that ſatan hath firſt begonne to deale in this ſort. For behold how the gouernours of the Church & ſucceſſours of Aaron together with the people bewitched in like maner and enchanted, replied vntounto the ſeruantes of God, reprehending their falſehood in doctrine, and corruption in maners; the Temple, the Temple, the Temple of God, Ierem. 7.4. & that with as loude a cry, as that ſeditious Demetrius cried, & cauſed to be cried in Epheſus, the Temple of the great goddeſſe of Diana, of the Epheſians yea caried headlong with the ſame lying and murdering ſpirit, being no other difference at all betweene them then this, that the Iewes abuſed a good ground and principle, for indeede the Temple of Ieruſalem was built by the commaundement of the Lord, and vntounto the Lord, which could not bee ſaid of the Temple of Diana, built by the ſuggeſtion of Satan vntounto a falſe goddeſſe: all comming notwithſtāding to one end, ſeeing the Temple built & conſecrated vntounto God, was become the place where his holy name was moſt vilanouſly polluted and abuſed. This is it which wee are taught in this place by the verie confeſſion of the ſpouſe herſelfe, ſeeking after her Bridegrome, and not finding him in her bed, where the Bridegroome, without going far from her, had laid her, as we hauehave ſeene in the Chapter going before. And how came this to paſſe? VponUpon no other thing, but that the ſpouſe fell aſleepe in this bed, on which notwithſtanding ſhe was laid downe, not to ſleepe, but only to reſt herſelfe, and that continuing ſtil watching. And yet neither if we continue ſo, can we deale ſo wel and ſo diligently, that there be no default, as wee ſhall afterwardes ſee. What other thing then can happen, but an extreme deſolation, when men fal aſleepe vponupon their eaſe and quiet, and eſpecially when they of all other are the faſteſt aſleepe, who ſhould watch for themſelues and for others? Matth. 13.25. But from whence is the fault? Not on the lords ſide, but on the wretchedneſſe of man, who cannot order himſelf aright, neither in proſperity nor in aduerſity, not in pouerty nor in wealth & abundance. And if we compare both theſe extremities together, we ſhall find both by reaſon and by experience, that the waie of peace and reſt, accompanied with proſperity & aboundance, is the more dangerous. For aduerſity and neede ſtirreth vp and awaketh the moſt ſenſleſſe and ſluggiſh, to thinke on the remedies thereof, whence it is ſaid that Neceſſity hath beene the occaſion that artes and ſciences were found out and inuented: but proſperity and aboundance bring the beſt aſleepe, witneſſes whereof may be Adam and Eue before their miſerable fall, and Salomon who was ſo wiſe: in a word the whole hiſtorie of the Church truely Chriſtian, Apoſtolicall and Catholique, which floriſhed vnderunder Saint Peter, and Saint Iohn, who had neither gold nor ſiluer, Act. 3.6. but diſtributed vntounto others in midſt of their pouerty from the break of daie vntil night, the true riches which God had committed vntounto them, Act. 5.21. & vnderunder S. Paul who liued and nouriſhed others by the labour of his handes, preaching vntounto them daie and night, and that with teares, Act. 20.31.34: whereas afterward vponupon the peace which Conſtantine graunted it, accompanied with wealth and aboundance, the mother of ambition and diſſolution, it neuer ceaſed vntill this daie to decline touching heauenly & celeſtial things, though in reſpect of the world it hauehave growne great and mighty. For how can the kingdom of God and the kingdome of the world agree together? Luk. 18.36. Things ſo contrarie one vntounto the other, Iam. 4.4. Thus you ſee then in what ſort a ſweete repoſe and reſt bringeth aſleep not this man or that man, but the whole Church conſidered in a generality, that in leſſe then a turne is ſhe turned and wandred away from her Bridegroome.
2 But the Bridegroome who can neuer vtterly forget his ſpouſe, no not whē he hath for a time in his iuſt iudgemēts caſt her off & left her as it were to the wide world: findeth alwaies means to awakē her, & to forme in her a deſire of returning again to find him, as it is ſaid, Deu. 32.37. & 1. King. 8.46. which is here declared vsus by the ſpouſe ſaying, that ſhe ſought him. And how could this be if ſhe were not firſt gone from him, & afterwarde come againe vntounto herſelfe to thinke to ſeeke after him? And that by his meanes who ſpeaketh within, and ſaith, Awake thou which ſleepeſt, Eph. 5.14. and Eſai. 26.19. And here wee muſt put a great difference betweene that ſort of waking which is proper vntounto Gods elect, and which proceedeth from his meere grace (as hee alſo cauſeth vsus to finde the waie out of which we are wandred and ſtraied) and that waking & good morrow of ſinne which the wicked hauehave, which leadeth ſuch as are reprobate into deſpaire, according vntounto that which is ſaid, that there is no peace vntounto the wicked, Eſai. 48.22. and as is to be ſeene in that horrible example of Iudas the traitor, Matth. 27.4. For this awaking proceeding from the pricke of ſinne, maketh the ſinner to flie before the face of the Iudge, according vntounto the example of Adam, Geneſ. 3.8. but that awaking which proceedeth from grace, & from an hart truly contrite, createth in a man an ardent deſire of returning vntounto his Sauiour: for which reaſon the ſpouſe here ſaith, that when ſhee awoke ſhe ſought him.
3 But what meaneth that which afterwardes is added by her, namely, that ſhe founde him not? And how agreeth this with that promiſe of Chriſt verified by ſo many experiences, knocke and it ſhal be opened vntounto you, ſeeke and you ſhal find? Matth. 7.7. and Luk. 11.9.10. And if the Lorde hath cauſed himſelfe to bee found of thoſe who ſought him not, Eſa. 65.1. (for it is the ſheephard which ſeeketh after the ſtraie ſheepe, and not the ſheepe the ſheepeheard, Matt. 18.12) how is it poſſible that this ſpouſe found him not? I aunſwere that the ſpouſe ſaith not, that ſhee could neuer find him, which ſhould contrarie the promiſe aboue: but that ſeeking after him in her bed, ſhee found him not. True, in her bed, for there he was not. To find him therefore, it is not enough to ſeek him, but we muſt ſeek where he is to be ſought: & therfore it is no maruel though the ſpouſe found not her Bridegroome in her bed, for he was not there. Moreouer we muſt ſeek him in a fit and conuenient time if wee will find him, namely when the time is of ſetting the dore open▪ otherwiſe wee looſe but our paines to ſeeke him, Eſai. 55.6. and we muſt knocke at the doore, before it be bolted on the innerſide, Mat. 25.12. Far…her we muſt aske of him, of whom we ought to aske, and who wil not be mocked 1. King. 18.27. and then, that which wee ought to aske, Mat. 20.21. and againe, in ſuch a ſort as we ought to aske, Iam. 1.7. and finally, vntounto the end which we ought to aske it. We may not therfore wonder, or take on with God, but with our ſelues, if for the moſt part we find not that which we ſeek after. For the fault is in vsus. And though wee failed in no one point of thoſe which I hauehave aboue ſet downe yet we muſt doe God this honor to giuegive him leaue to chuſe the time and the meanes, to grant vsus that which he wil giuegive vsus, when we hauehave demanded it as he hath giuen vsus our rule. Abraham beleeued and obtained the child which was promiſed him, but it was fiue and thirty yeares after the promiſe was made. Dauid obtained the kingdome: but it was after he had waited in waiting, Pſal. 40.1. yea vntil his eies were dimme and failed in looking and waiting after it, Pſal. 119.82. and that hee was hoarce with crying, Pſal. 69.3. not that the Lord is not without al compariſō more ready to heare then we are to pray, ſeeing it is hee who formeth in vsus the deſire of praying, and who teacheth vsus how we ought to pray, Rom. 8.26. and it is he who muſt open our lippes that they maie ſhew forth his praiſe, Pſal. 51.17. But it is expedient and profitable for vsus to be ſo delaied, becauſe we are wont to make light of that which we come lightly by: in a woord how euer it bee, it is hee who hath the times and ſeaſons in his hand, Act. 1.7.
4 But here the ſpouſe ſeeketh after him whom ſhee ought to ſeeke, & faileth not in any thing ſaue this, that ſhee ſeeketh him of errour there where he is not: and where is that? In her bed. And yet who gaue her this bed, and who laide her there? Her Bridegroome, hauing ſo expreſly inuited her, and ſo amiably and kindly entertained her, as we hauehave ſeene in the chapter going before, and eſpecially in the tenth verſe, and in the verſes following. What is the reaſon then, why hee could not bee founde, as if hee had parted cleane awaie? Becauſe the ſpouſe falling aſleepe, made more of the gift, then of the giuer, that is to ſay, gaue herſelfe ſo farre ouer vntounto this reſt and eaſe, that ſhe continued to be heauie and drowſie ſtill. So commeth it to paſſe in all other temporall and ſpirituall bleſſings, when we ſtay and ſettle our harts and mindes wholly vponupon them. Life it ſelfe is an eſpeciall gift and bleſſing of God, in whom we are, we moue, and we liue. Act. 17.28. But ſay we once with the children of this worlde, There is nothing more to be deſired then to liue? We are dead whileſt we liue, 1. Tim. 5.6. Aſmuch is to be ſaid of all the commodities and bleſſings of this life, albeit they bee the bleſſings of God, vntounto them on whom the gift is beſtowed of vſing them wel, as on Abraham & on Iob, Iob. 31. and on a verie fewe others. But what doe the moſt part of the world deſire? Mary they would find Paradiſe in their bed, that is to ſay, they would hauehave a peaceable gospell, that they might lie downe ſoftly and ſleepe, & paſſe their time of life with others in reſt and ſecurity. I ſpeake not yet of them, who looſe the raines to all ſortes of pleaſures, and giuegive themſelues ouer to their vnmeaſured luſts: but of thoſe who would content themſelues with a meaſure. Notwithſtanding if we ſettle & reſt our ſelues hereon, as if we were to find herein our only felicity, we ſhall finde our ſelues deceiued, and depriue our ſelues of the principall vſe of theſe benefits and bleſſings, which is to handle them ſo as if we handled thorns, Mat. 13.22. & to be more carefull in the well diſpoſing our expence, then in the encreaſing of our receipt, 1. Tim. 6.18. in a worde to followe the proteſtation of Dauid, Pſal. 16.5.
5 For example we may and ought to ſay that God hath at this day prepared vsus a goodly ſoft bed, and giuen vsus reſt both here & in many other places, whether we reſpect that which is the principall, I meane, the purity of doctrine, & ſome kind of order in the Church together with the meanes of being inſtructed in learning and good letters, or whether wee regard our ciuil liberty and freedome oppoſed to the miſerable condition of a great part of the world beſides. This is a goodly bed which God hath himſelfe made vsus by litle and litle in this world, & which he hath curtained and kept cloſe for vsus about theſe 60. years, notwithſtāding the infinit reſiſtāces of our enimies to the cōtrary, which is as much as if he ſhould hauehave built his neſt in the middeſt of the impetuous waues of the maine Ocean. If hereupon euerie man fall aſleepe in his bed, and let the preachers preach what they liſt, they wil care for nothing but for their temporall profits and commodities: briefly, if we make but an acceſſarie or a by-woorke of that which ſhould be the principall, what will come thereof in the end but this, that at length the principall will be cleane neglected and forgotten? And this is the cauſe why God hath giuen vsus ſome ſmal laſhes with his rod, and namely the laſt yeare, to awaken vsus therby: but who hath beene the better by them? And therefore let vsus take heed hee laie not downe his rod and take vp a whippe, and in the end a barre of iron, not to awake, but to quell them who are ſo faſt and ſo heauie aſleepe in time of their peace and quiet. Now if but to occupy our mindes a litle in thoſe commodities which the Lord granteth vsus, be a thing ſo dangerous, as it became to bee to Salomon himſelfe, what ſhal become of them who hauehave ſettled their minds ſo farre on them, as that they vtterly forget the giuer? What ſhall I ſay then vntounto you ye rich-miſers, who either hauehave inherited houſes full of wealth, or whoſe labours God hath ſo plentifullie bleſſed, to you I ſpeak, who put your confidence in your riches and thinke on nothing elſe, but how to pintch and ſpare and ſcrape and ſcratch together, and neuer make any reckoning how or where to imploy them wel, you I ſaie, who hauehave no other god but your belly: in a word all you who hauehave receiued ſuch a largeſſe of gods bleſſinges, and thinke on nothing leſſe then how to vſe them to his honour and glorie. What ſhall I ſay vntounto you? Wil you neuer bethink your ſelues of ſo great an abuſe? Neuer conſider of ſo great a diſorder, feare yee not to be forſaken of him, whoſe bleſſinges you ſo wickedly, ſo wretchedly abuſe?
6 But what ſhall become of them who ſleepe not in that bed which God laied them in, or enioy that reſt & quiet which God beſtowed on them, but in that which their owne luſtes, & their wicked practiſes hauehave purchaſed them? As ſome plenty of riches, and goods il gotten, or ſome other ſhewe and appearaunce of credit and quiet, redeemed and purchaſed with the loſſe of their conſcience: as alſo when anie are aſleepe in a leud courſe and traine of life, whether it bee in whooredome (whereof we hauehave a ſtraunge example in Dauid himſelfe, who of an adulterer became a traitor and a murderer, by falling aſleep in his ſinne) or whether it be in gluttony, as wee ſee it to be the trade of theſe gameſters, tiplers, tauern-haunters, & other ſuch diſſolute people, who ende their daies in miſery and commonlie on the gallowes: for fewe of them hauehave that grace giuen them which is mentioned in the parable of the prodigal ſonne. But O poore and wretched bed, not of feathers, but of thornes and bryars, full of deadly pricking! O miſerable & vnhappy proſperity which bringeſt with thee perperuall and remediles calamity! O ſleepe, not ſleepe, but a plaine lethargie of the ſoule depriued of al true ſenſe and motion!
7 But to apply this doctrine yet more nearer vntounto our vſe, when wee ſee at this day ſuch differents and controuerſies in Chriſtendome, it is not for vsus to ſay, Let all be as be may, we will meddle with none of thē ▪ as theſe good fellows do, who depart out of the worlde, before they knew wherfore they came into it (a moſt wretched & miſerable condition) but we muſt follow the example of this ſpouſe, who in the midſt of her eaſe fel not ſo aſleep, as not to wake againe to ſeeke after her Bridegroome, that is to ſay, to be throughly reſolued where he was, and to ioine hirſelfe vntounto him. Behold the firſt point. The ſecond is, that to know where this Bridegrome is, & conſequently the true doctrine of ſaluation, we may not looke where the greateſt eaſe is, where the greateſt number, and on which ſide the greateſt honours and promotions are to be found, as wee ſee the maner of the world to be at this day, ſiding & ſorting themſelues with them, who ſeem the ſtronger & the more eminent mē in their eies. For cōtrariwiſe, if you were of the world, the world would louelove you, ſaith the Lord, Ioh. 15.19. And this worldly bleſſednes & happineſſe is not among them which Chriſt reckoneth vp, Mat. 5. Luk. 6. Nay contrariwiſe, if a man be waxen fatte and rich, he muſt become leane & ſlender to be able to paſſe through the eie of the needle, Luk. 18.28. which is the ſtreit way which leadeth vntounto ſaluation. Let vsus therefore remember that the spouſe hauing ſought the Bridegroome in this bed, found him not.
8 Now our aduerſaries hereupon will ſaie, that this geare toucheth vsus near, who hold with, ſaie they, and maintaine the broad waie, ſeeking after nothing elſe but our carnall liberty, hauing taken away the time of Lent, & finding fault with faſtinges and pilgrimages: and what elſe? Promiſing ſaluation vntounto al the world without anie good workes. And they, what doe they? They eate no fleſh a great part of the year, they faſt, they labour and take paines without ceaſing to winne paradiſe: all their clergy voweth virginity: ſo many good men of theirs hauehave as ſtreit rules of life, as none can be more. Some of them neuer eate anie fleſh: others go wolward and in hair: others whip themſelues a-vie who ſhal whip moſt. Ye hypocrits, yee whited wals and painted ſepulchers, yee meal-mouthed counterfaites, yee deuourers of widdowes, and eaters vp of orphanes, ye vowers of pouerty to neſtle and dwell in pallaces, and there to liue and feede your ſelues fatte at the coſtes & charges of others, ſeeke you your anſwere in the 53. Chap. of Eſay, and in the 23. Chapter of Saint Matthew. As for thoſe who are wretchedlie bewitched and ſeeke to winne paradiſe by their owne trauaile, to them I ſaie, how long will you ſeeke the kingdome of God in meate and drink? How long wil you continue to ſeeke paradiſe in the broken and ſtincking ceſternes of your own imaginations and traditions? How long wil you be ignorant, that it is the blood of Ieſus chriſt which hath ſaued the true martyrs themſelues, and not their owne bloode? Now is this I pray you to ſette a cheap price vponupon paradiſe, to cal and ſettle the conſciences of men vpō him who hath redeemed them with ſo great a price, as Saint Peter ſaith, 1. Pet. 1.18. and not on charmed water, or the pardons of his falſe ſucceſſors? Doe we ſeuer and diſioine true amendment of life from remiſſion and forgiueneſſe of ſinne? Cry we not out daily againſt al manner exceſſe, riot and diſſolution? Doe wee not commend and recommend vntounto all men, all inward integrity and vprightnes? Al ſobriety? Al kind of mutual edification? But it would be too long to make a particular replie vntounto eueryevery point. Let it be aunſwered them in a word, that touching their doctrine compared with ours, wee hauehave alwaies made, & ſtil wil make him the Iudge, who ſhall iudge vsus all by his holy word: & as touching their life & ours, wee confeſſe that as for vsus wee hauehave but too great occaſion to hang downe our heades: as for them, the heauen and the earth knoweth too well what their merites are.
9 The ſpouſe addeth that which is properly belonging vntounto this matter, ſaying, that when ſhee found not her Bridegroome in this bed where ſhee ſought him, ſhee roſe to ſeeke him whom ſhee ſo hartily loueth, where euer he were. Now to creepe into her bed and there to lie groueling, and to riſe, are thinges cleane contrarie, the one to the other: and indeed it is not enough to condemne that which is ill, but wee muſt like and approoue that which is good and practiſe it. What is then to riſe out of her bed? It is to quit and forſake al thinges without exception, togither with which we cannot enioy Ieſus Chriſt, that is to ſaie, to renounce a mans ſelfe, which is the A.B.C. of Chriſtians, Matth. 16.24. It is to put out one eye, and to cut off one arme, to enter rather one-eied & maimed into the kingdom of this Bridegrome, then hauing two eies & two arms to be caſt into hel fire, Mat. 5.29.30. it is to leaue al things to folow after this Bridegrome, according vntounto the exāple of his true diſciples, Mat. 19.27. it is to follow the example of that thriſe happy merchant, who ſold al that he had to buy the perle be found, Mat. 13.46. it is to be ready in the banquetting hal, and not to be hindered and kept thence either by farme, or tillage, or marriage, Luk. 14.16. it is to to louelove neither father, nor mother, nor country, nor kindred ſo much, or more then God, Gen. 11.33. &. Deu. 33.9. and not to become a monk (as ſome one of the auncient not ſo aduiſedly ſaid, although the monkeries then, were as far diſtant from thoſe of our daies, as the Moone is diſtant from the earth, though they were euen then, to ſay the truth, in ſome poynt lunaticke and fantaſtical) but to follow Ieſus Chriſt, that is to ſaie to ſtick vntounto this Bridegroome, in exerciſing eueryevery man his lawfull calling in all honeſty and holines. To riſe then out of bed, is not ſimplie to chaunge our place, but it is as I hauehave ſaid to quitte and forſake all thinges, which may let and hinder vsus from that which concerneth the peace of our conſciences, & ſo conſequently our ſaluation, to keepe on in the right waie if we be once in it, and to find it out if we bee ſtraied from it, and that not onelyonly to follow in general the vocation common vntounto al Chriſtians moſt excellently deſcribed among other places, Phil. 2.1. but to the end that eueryevery one in ſpecial folow his vocation as we hauehave an expreſſe commandement to that purpoſe, 1. Cor. 7.20. and according vntounto the example of Dauid who hauing this in particular charge to finde and aſſigne the place for the building of the Temple, God puniſh me ſo and ſo, ſaith he, if euer I enter vnderunder the roofe of my houſe, or aſcend vp into my bed, if I ſuffer mine eies to ſleep, or ſhut the lids of mine eies before I find out a place for the Eternal, an habitation for the mighty one of Iacob, Pſal. 132.
10 Let all the elect therefore of God, as many, I meane, as he hath created in, a deſire of finding him, whē they are aſleep in this peace of the falſe Church, learne of this ſpouſe to ſay truely, and indeede, that there is no commoditie nor appearance of eaſe ſhal ſtay me, but I wil leaue them, and get me out of my bed to finde him, on whom my heart is ſettled and planted. And let thoſe who hauehave found him take heed how they ſet their mindes vponupon temporall bleſſings, though godlineſſe hauehave the promiſe of them alſo, 1. Timoth. 4.6. or to make their account that things once well ordered ſhall ſo continue ſtil in the Church, or diſcern the true Church from the falſe by an outward ſhew of ſome great eſtate neuer ſo well vnderpropped in the opinion of men, but take heede betimes vntounto themſelues, that this Bridegroome in whom conſiſteth the true peace, Matth. 12.29. neuer leaue them, but that they continue ſtil members of that true Church, of which it is ſaide, That happy is the people, whoſe God the eternal is, Pſalm. 44.15. To the attaining whereof, confeſſing before the Lorde our too continuall negligence, vnthankefulneſſe, and rebellion, we wil craue pardon and mercy at his handes as followeth,
Almighty God, &c.