Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs, Sermon 26

Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs · Sermon 26

p. 344THE XXVI 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 5.6.7. and 8. verſes.

5 I charge you ye daughters of Ieruſalem, by the Roes & by the Hinds of the field, if you wake, waken not my LoueLove vntil he pleaſe.

6 Who is ſhee that mounteth vp out of the deſert like palmes of ſmoke, perfumed with mirrh & incēſe, & with eueryevery ſort of perfume?

p. 3457 Behold his bed which is Salomons, about the which are threeſcore valiaunt men, of the prowes of Iſrael.

8 They all handle the ſword & are expert in warre, eueryevery one hauing his ſworde vponupon his thigh, for the frights by night.

1 The ſpouſe is ſo authorized by her Bridegroome, that none euer ſette on her who had not the worst.

2 This authoritie pertaineth nothing at al vntounto the falſe Church.

3 Wherefore this ſpouſe is compared vntounto a cloude, reſembling an high and a strait piller.

4 What the deſert or wilderneſſe is from which this piller commeth.

5 We muſt come forth out of this deſert & not fal out of one deſert into another.

6 The deſerts of the auncient monkes compared with the pallaces of theſe goodly fathers, and falſe religions of our time.

7 Wherefore the ſpouſe is compared vntounto a palme or date tree.

8 What the excellent perfumes of this ſpouſe are, and whence they come.

9 The ſpouſe inſteed of resting on the praiſes which are attributed vntounto her, how tru ſoeuer they be, imploieth her ſelf the rather to praiſe the Bridegrome & to make him knowen vntounto euerie one.

10 What this bed was of Salomon the figure of this true Salomon who is full of peace.

11 Howe ſafe this bed is where the true repoſe and rest is found.

14 Wherefore Salomon ſpeaketh here of threeſcore men of gard about his bed.

13 Who are the true gard and defenders of the ſaluation of the faithful, eſpeciallie againſt all inuiſible enemies.

14 A concluſion touching the vſe of this doctrine.

THE ſpouſe trauelling painefullie to find her Bridegroome, and hauing at the length found him, ſeazed on him and brought him home to her Mother, reioiceth nowe and is exceeding merrie and gladde of this happie eſtate and condition of hers, charging thoſe about her not to waken her Bridegroome: not that hee ſleepeth; for, hee that keepeth Iſrael doth neuer ſlumber nor ſleepe, Pſalm. 121.4. But becauſe his reſt is the reſt of his ſpouſe, holding and keeping him p. 346in the priuie Chamber of her hart. Rom. 5.1. and therefore knowing that this reſt & quiet is neuer without ſuch as enuy it, for whom they need ſeek no farther then in the midſt of Ieruſalem, that is to ſay, of them thēſelues who wil brag & vaūt, that they are the principal members of the Church, ſhee chargeth them here vnderunder the name of daughters of Ieruſalem, & that with menaces & threates, that they preſume not to trouble this reſt of her Bridegrome with her: as if ſhe ſhuld ſay, that ſhe is able to make thē repent it, if they be ſo bold as to do it. But touching this reſt & this maner of charge, we hauehave ſpokē aboue at large Chap. 2. verſ. 7. where the Bridegrome giueth the like charge that they trouble not the repoſe & reſt of his ſpouſe: & therefore wee will refer our ſelues vntounto that which hath bin ſaid thereof: but there is notwithſtanding a particular conſideration offered in this place. For it ſeemeth the ſpouſe ſpeaketh very boldly, ſuch a charge beſeeming rather the Bridegroom, who hath al autority, thē the ſpouſe, who ought to refer her whole garding and ſafe keeping vntounto the Bridegrome. I confeſſe indeede that the ſpouſe ſpeaketh here very loftily & gallantly. And why ſhould ſhe not? For ſeeing ſhe hath for her, & with her, yea within her this great & mighty king: what is he that ſtandeth againſt her, whom ſhe may not and ought not to defy? We hauehave hereof infinit examples, and thoſe alſo ioyned with their effects. Ioſua commaundeth the Sunne to ſtand ſtill, and hee obeyeth, Ioſu. 10.13. And wee know what the Lord promiſeth vntounto his, Mat. 17.20. not to eſtabliſh thereby the gift of dooing of miracles as perpetual in the Church, but to ſhew that this ſpouſe threatneth the perturbers of this peace which the Bridegrome giueth her, ſeeing ſhe hath in her hand his autority & power, & can ſay that her Bridegrome is hers, and therefore by conſequent ſhe may boaſt of the effects of this fellowſhip and ſociety with him. Now the temporal gifts & bleſſings, which god beſtoweth vponupon his Church, are a ſmal thing in compariſon of the ſpiritual treaſure which is proper vntounto her, although whoſoeuer offendeth the children of God euen in theſe, they ſhall hauehave the worſt, the Lorde himſelfe hauing giuen this charge, p. 347Touch not mine annointed, Pſalm. 105.15. So that no ſacrilegious perſon, no not among the Paynims and worſhippers of falſe Gods had euer his wickedneſſe vnreuenged: and Aegypt and Babylon caried not farre the outrages they committed againſt the people of God. In a woord, it is not without cauſe that the head ſpeaking of his members cryed from heauen, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? Act. 9.4. But heere the matter concerneth ſpirituall bleſſinges, and the proper and peculiar treaſure of the Church, namelie, the enioying of the Bridegroome in his woord, and the gouernment of his houſe. Pharao woulde needes ſeeke to hinder the children of Iſrael from this bleſſing, firſt ſimplie, afterwarde by certaine conditions. Wee ſee what it coſt him. The Aſſyrians and Chaldaeans, who ruined the Temple, and deſtroyed the Cittie, fared no better. So ſped the Kinges of Perſia who hindered the building of the Temple. Contrariwiſe God bleſſed in carnall and woorldly things Alexander the great, who bare himſelfe otherwiſe, how ambitious a Paynim ſo euer he were. His ſucceſſours the Kinges both of Syria and of AEgypt, maie ſerue vsus for example heerein both on the one ſide and on the other, according as they fauoured with al peace and tranquillitie this mutuall repoſe of this Bridegroome and ſpouſe, or otherwiſe endeuoured to hinder it. Thoſe two Romane Captaynes, Craſſus and Pompee, who were the firſt which ſpoyled the Temple of God (although it were then moſt vilanouſlie polluted by the gardiens and keepers of it themſelues) periſhed ſo exemplarilie and wretchedlie, that hee is blinde who perceiueth it not. The third who was Titus eſcaped no better. And the Romane empire, when God had ſerued himſelfe with it to reuenge the vnthankfulneſſe of his people, making warre againſt this ſpouſe, neuer ceaſed ſince to bee the executioner and hang-man of itſelfe, vntil it fell in peeces.

2 The beaſt mowled and faſhioned vponupon this Empyre, againſt which monſter wee are ſtill in combate at this daie, wil ſaie as much againſt vsus, putting her ſelfe in the place of this ſpouſe. But wee hauehave two peremptorie replies againſt p. 348them. The one, that all hiſtories make contrarie proofe heereof, if wee iudge thereof not by the beginning of a falſe proſperity, but by the iſſue and ende of houſes and families which hauehave fauoured this beaſt, on whom the horrible iudgement of god hath finally bin brought. The other, that by the iuſt permiſſion of God the prince of this world muſt keep ſome promiſe with his ſeruantes, whom he telleth eueryevery daie ſhewing them the kingdomes of this world, Al theſe wil I giuegive you if you wil fal downe and worſhip me: and therefore they, contrarie to that which Chriſt aunſwered him, Matth. 4.9. take him at his woord, and become his ſeruantes. But ſuch a maſter faileth not in the end to pay ſuch ſeruants their wages. And if we hauehave but eies to ſee the examples of our time which hauehave been ſhewed vponupon the greateſt of Chriſtendome both in the Eaſt, Weaſt, North, and South, wee ſhall not neede to ſearch anie auncient recordes for this matter. Such is then this gallaunt and holie confidence of the ſpouſe to braue her enemies, in whoſe perſon the Apoſtle ſpeaking, wee ſee how hee dealt with Elymas, Act. 13.10. howe he defieth all creatures, high, middle, lowe, Rom. 8.37. how hee beareth downe euerie high thing which preſumeth to make head againſt God, 2. Corinth. 10.5. And indeede what power is there of any monarcke whatſoeuer which can vaunt of this promiſe: Whatſoeuer you bind on earth ſhall bee bound in heauen? Matth. 6.19. Vnderſtand it not of one alone, no not of Saint Peter himſelfe, but of the Church, Matth. 18.17. and 1. Corinth. 5.4. and of the true Church, not exceeding the limites of her commiſſion, and eſtabliſhed by him who is her garder and defender.

3 It followeth in our text, What is ſhe that mounteth vp out of the deſert like palmes of ſmoke? Whereupon a man maie firſt of all demaund, what perſonage is brought in in this place. Some thinke that theſe are the Daughters of Ieruſalem, vntounto whom this charge was giuen: but there is no reaſon of this. It is therefore the Bridegroome which ſpeaketh, diſcourſing and talking with his ſpouſe in her Mothers Chamber, and magnifieng p. 349with her the graces and bleſſings which himſelfe had beſtowed on her. And this very changing of the perſon (namely that he turneth his ſpeech ſo, as if he ſpake to a third perſon although hee ſpake to her herſelfe) hath a marueilous grace. Neither muſt we take this for a queſtion or demaund, as if the Bridegroome asked and enquired after one which hee knewe not: but we muſt take it as a kinde of admiration, touching the goodly comelines and grace of this ſpouſe. He compareth her therefore vntounto a pillar which is high and ſtreight as were the palmes or date trees of that countrie: a pillar, Iſay, of a vapour or fume mounting countermount from the mountaines of the deſert or wilderneſſe, which vapour hee alſo ſaith to proceed from hence, that the ſpouſe is ſo perfumed with al ſortes of excellent odors, that the fume thereof mounteth, as I may ſay vp vntounto heauen, whereof wee ſhal ſpeake anon. Such thē is this cōpariſon, which ſeemeth to hauehave beene borowed from this, that a multitude marching together and comming from any place reſembleth as it were a clowde, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Heb. 12.1. For how euer this ſpouſe be brought in, ſpeaking in this Canticle as it were one perſon onelyonly, it hindereth not for all that, but that the whole company of the faithfull and beleeuing be vnderſtood by her perſon, ioyned together notwithſtanding in one bodie, and quickened by one and the ſame ſpirit, as it is deſcribed vntounto vsus, Act. 4.32.

4 And if hereupon any man demaund wherefore there is here mentiō made of the deſert, I anſwere that it is in reſpect of the firſt beginning of this people, which before their iourneying into the deſert, was but one family, and began firſt to be a people in the wilderneſſe, where god ordained thē a maner of policie and common-weale and gaue them a forme of a people: neither are we to ſtay our ſelues on this deſert of Arabia, & namely that of Sinay and Pharan. For to ſpeak in a more generality, the Church being choſen out of the midſt of the world, not onelyonly in reſpect of that time, but from age to age, according as ſome die and others ſucceede them, ſhee was indeed drawen, and is yet eueryevery day drawen out of the moſt horrible p. 350& hideous deſerts, that cā be in nature: in conſideration whereof Ioſua warneth the people to remember that Abraham himſelfe & Thare were takē & drawen out of the deſert of Idolatry, Ioſu. 24.2. which the head of eueryevery family in Iſraell was in expreſſe termes as it were to acknowledge and confeſſe in doing fealtie & homage by his firſt-fruits, Deu. 26.5. This is it whereunto alſo the lord had regard, when he ſaith, that inſteed of harts of ſtone (which is the deſert in which he findeth vsus) he wil giuegive vsus an hart of fleſh, Ezech. 36.26. that is to ſay, of a ſoft & tender matter, eaſily to receiue that which his spirite writeth therein, according vntounto the tenor of the new couenant, Ier. 31.33. Eſay. 54.13.

5 The moſt part of vsus who are in this place may and ought to giuegive true teſtimony hereof, hauing beene by an infinit mercy of God drawen forth of this horrible deſert & dungeon of Idolatry and ſuperſtition wherin our fathers & we were for ſo long a time plūged. But alas how many are there who are not aſcended out of the deſert, but are entred out of one deſert into an other? Not, god be thanked, that this place where it hath pleaſed God to gather vsus together, is a deſert and wildernes in reſpect of the graces and bleſſings which god hath here planted & ſowed, hauing ridde it of moſt peſtilent buſhes & woods by moſt painfull and diligent husband-men: but becauſe that the deſert out of which wee are to aſcend to bee compriſed in this ſpouſe, is that in which we are born, & which we carry within our ſelues, where euer we be or go, receiuing there, & there entertaining that wicked spirit, of who it is ſaid, Mat. 12.43. that he ſeeketh after dry places & deſerts. Let thoſe thē who out of the deſert of ſuperſtition and Idolatry are fallen into the dungeon of impiety: & out of the deſert of a wretched conſcience which vtterly frighted & amazed them with feare, into that horrible gulfe of a rotten and ſenſeleſſe conſcience: & out of the deſert of riotous diſſolution into the pit of miſerable couetouſneſſe: in a word, who out of ſottiſhneſſe hauehave caſt themſelues headlong into wickednes: let thoſe, I ſay, know that they hauehave nothing to doe with her of whom it is thus ſaide, that ſhe aſcendeth out of the deſert.

p. 3516 And therefore neither theſe goodly father Eremites, nor theſe cloiſtered Monks, nor theſe rabbles of religions which peſter & fill euerie city, may help themſelues with this place. For if we ſpeake of ancient Eremits (that is to ſay, inhabitants of deſerts) there is great difference betweene thoſe and theſe which are now. For ſome of them were conſtrained by perſecutions to ſeeke after woods & rockes, as did Elias & Elizeus, where they abode, as we ſee by their paines & labors, nothing leſſe then idle, or ſpending their time in dreaming and doting contemplation. Others withdrew themſelues aſide for a time, for quiet-ſake, the better to prepare themſelues to al good exerciſes of ſtudie, and of praiers, and of ſeruing the Churches whereunto they ſhould be called. And yet we muſt confeſſe that many euen among theſe, keeping no meane or meaſure, neither in their ſolitude, nor in their auſterity of life, did both themſelues and the Churches great wrong. But wherein doe theſe ſinks of Sodom and of Gomorrha reſemble this deſert? Theſe plaunches and ſties of ſuperſtition and impietie? Theſe harbours and lurking-holes of all curſed idleneſſe, the ſtincking vapours whereof infect both the heauen and the earth? But what mean we to ſpeake here of the deſerts of theſe holy fathers? Let a man but looke vponupon their ſteeples, their towers, their cloiſters, their oratories and dormitories, their garden-plots and orchards, and eſpecially of theſe of the latter crew, theſe who ſpoile al men beſides of the name of Ieſuits, which is as much to ſay, as Chriſtians, to appropriate the title thereof vntounto themſelues, and what royal pallace ſhal a man find comparable vntounto their deſerts? What man is there who by his honeſt paine and trauell for the benefit of this Church and common weale, in what vocation of his ſoeuer, hath gotten in all his life the hundreth part of that which theſe honeſt vowers of pouerty hauehave raked and yet rake together eueryevery day, by doing all things as they ſay Gratis, and for Gods ſake?

7 But leaue we theſe ſoule-ſlears & ſoule-robbers in their dennes & deſerts, & let vsus pray vntounto God to keep al paſſengers frō thē: & come we vntounto this ſpouſe which mounteth vp out of the p. 352deſert like vntounto a palme or date-tree, in ſuch ſort, that ſhe maketh herſelfe to be ſeen & appeareth aboue al the trees of the deſert. Such a one was Iohn Baptiſt, drawing all the inhabitants of the citties, yea of Ieruſalem it ſelfe after him. And this is the nature of the palm, the more it is preſſed down, the ſtraighter and violenter it riſeth and ſwaieth vpward, Pſa. 92.13. euen ſo doth the vertue of the Lord declare it ſelfe more and more towardes his church, then when ſhe is in moſt weake and feeble eſtate, 2. Cor. 12.9. yea ſo farre as that ſhee becommeth able to ſay, I can doe all thinges in him which fortifieth me, Phil. 4.13. For whether doth not this true ſpouſe raiſe herſelfe by the vertue and ſtrength of her Bridegroome? Her conuerſation is in heauen, Phil. 3.6. ſhee is alreadie ſeated in heauenly places, Epheſ. 2.6. ſhee is alreadie transported into the kingdome of the welbeloued ſonne her Bridegroome, Coloſſ. 1.13. A great miracle of God in trueth, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Eph. 15.32. and therefore is the Bridegroome brought in here himſelfe wondering at the excellency of his own woorkemanſhip as the Apoſtle calleth this ſpouſe, 1. Cor. 3.9.

8 And to the end we ſhould knowe that this excellency of hers is teſtified & declared by moſt certaine effects, he addeth that this ſpouſe is perfumed with al ſortes of excellent perfumes, yea ſuch as caſt forth a clowde of moſt ſweet odours. Now we know that both the outwarde heat of the ſunne, as alſo that inward heat which is in the earth, to temper together with moiſture the ſeedes of whatſoeuer the earth bringeth forth and produceth, is it which draweth vp theſe vapors, to be made more ſubtile, and diſtilled as it were in a limbecke, and finally to ſerue inſteede of leauen vntounto the element of the earth, as that moſt excellent naturall Philoſopher painteth forth the ſame vntounto vsus, Pſal. 65. Which thing may ſerue vsus for a moſt liuely & expreſſe ſimilitude and reſemblance of this, which the ſpirit of God ordereth, prepareth & doth in the vnderſtanding & heart of the elect in our time, to cauſe it there to budde, & finallie to bring foorth fruites of true knowledge, which are, giuing of thankes, praiers, and works of charitie which aſcend vp euen to God, Act. 10.4. p. 353Apoc. 5.8. and 8.3. Phi. 4.18. Firſt therefore it is through the grace of the holy ghoſt, that the matter of theſe perfumes is giuen vsus, beeing a thing which waxeth not in our garden. Secondly it is by the ſame vertue that they are kindled and cauſed to fume. Thirdly as the fume and ſmoke of the fatte of the beaſtes which were ſacrificed, which could not bee of it ſelfe but ſtinking, was made to be of a moſt ſweet odor, by the precious perfume which was made vponupon the golden altar: ſo the beſt motions, and the moſt excellent actions which can part & proceed frō vsus, how ſanctified ſo euer we be by the holy ghoſt in this life, being conſidered according vntounto their valew, there is found nothing in them which is ought worth, or which deſerueth any bleſſing whatſoeuer, & yet they leaue not to be liking & acceptable vntounto the Lorde, & are finally crowned by him with a crowne of Glorie, in as much as it pleaſeth God to conſider of vsus & our actions vntounto which hee hath faſhioned & prepared vsus, not in vsus but in him, in whom alone he accepteth of vsus: Eph. 1.9. who hath giuen himſelfe for vsus in oblation and ſacrifice vntounto God an odour of a ſweete ſmell, Eph. 5.2.

9 The ſpouſe hereupon inſteed of ſtanding on thoſe praiſes which are attributed vntounto her, deſcribeth vntounto vsus the eſtate & effects of him in the gouernment of his, firſt vnderunder the ſimilitude of a bedde, afterward of a coch, turning her ſpeech vntounto the daughters of Ieruſalem as it is ſet downe in the laſt verſe of this chapter, that is to ſay, vntounto the nation which God had choſen to hauehave a part in his couenant, who had yet good neede to bee b…tter inſtructed in the knowledge of the trueth, amiddeſt the corruptions, from which the church is neuer ſo freed, but there hath beene ſtil ſome defect or other on the behalfe of many, as the hiſtories & writings of the Prophets doe teſtifie & declare the ſame: beſides, that how euer it be, to be a true mēber of the church it ſufficeth not when a mā is come vntounto age, to be born in the church, but he muſt be inſtructed & there learn & giuegive himſelf wholy to the doctrin of truth which is there preached.

10 The ſpouſe therefore ſpeaking vntounto theſe, propoſeth vntounto them firſt an allegorical deſcription of the magnificent bed p. 354of this king, which is as it were the Bride-bed prepared for this king and this queene which here ſpeaketh. By this bed therefore we wil vnderſtand generally & firſt of al the whole countrie of Chanaan where it then pleaſed God to make as it were his reſidence and abode, hauing as it were abandoned and giuen ouer the reſt of the woorlde for a time vntounto perdition & deſtruction, Act. 14.16. and particularly we wil here vnderſtand, the temple, the city of Ieruſalem, the ſynagogues, cities & townes of the whole territorie & country, yea eueryevery one of the faithful, in aſmuch as the Lord dwelleth in them by his spirit: on the other ſide, by Salomon is meant, not onelyonly this name, which is as much to ſay as peaceable, but alſo the promiſe made vntounto Dauid of this ſon an eternall ſucceſſour, couched in ſuch terms that it comprehendeth all in one, both the figure which is this ſonne of Dauid: as alſo the trueth and reality figured by him, which is Ieſus Chriſt, 2. Sam. 7.13. & 1. Chron. 17.12. Salomon therefore in this place repreſenteth vntounto vsus this Bridegroome, the true and only peace-maker between god & his beloued as he is expreſly called the prince of peace, Eſa. 9.6. & his bed at this day is the whole vniuerſal world whereſoeuer he is knowen & acknowleged of the elect gathered out of the four corners of world, as the ſame was declared vntounto S. Pet. by that ſheet which deſcended from heauen and was tied at the foure ends, Act. 10.11.

11 The ſpouſe after this, to ſhewe vsus that it is there and no where elſe that we muſt ſeeke after and find the true repoſe & reſt, as it is declared vntounto vsus, Matth. 11.29. & that there is nothing more ſafe & aſſured then this reſt, addeth that this bed is enuironed & compaſſed with 60. valiant men of Iſrael: and who beſides their prowes and courage hauehave alſo experience, to hinder that nothing fal out by night, which may hinder the fruite of this reſt. Now that which we try & experience euerie day ſheweth vsus, howe not only profitable, but altogether neceſſary this doctrine is. For what is one of the chiefe and principall cauſes of this, that ſo few men giuegive themſelues vntounto this reſt, and that ſo few continue in it? Is it not becauſe that this bed ſeemeth to be but ſorily garded, and badly defended, & therefore they feare leaſt they p. 355ſhould be eaſily ſurpreſſed & hauehave their throates cut. But let vsus know that theſe carnall caitiues, doe as the fooliſh birdes doe, who ſo ſoon as they ſee the cat, inſteed of keeping themſelues on their pearch, throw thēſelues into the talants of the enimy. For hee that goeth foorth of the Church, caſteth himſelfe vndoubtedly into the pawes of the rauening lion, 1. Pet. 5.8. The fault therefore hereof proceedeth frō hence, that men hauing no other eies then thoſe of their head, & not thoſe of faith, beleeue only that which they ſee, & perſwade themſelues of that which cannot be ſeene, but by the eies of the ſpirite which ſee that which is inuiſible, Heb. 11.27. and Epheſ. 2.18. except it be when God beſtoweth ſome ſpeciall priuilege vponupon ſome, as he did on Iacob, Gen. 32.2. and on the ſeruant of the Prophet, 2. King. 6.17. But what ſaith the Lord? Thomas, becauſe thou haſt ſeene, thou haſt beleeued: but bleſſed are they who hauehave not ſeene, and yet hauehave beleeued. Ioh. 20.29. In the meane while we do al confeſſe that God alone is almightie, yea that none hath any power but of him, as himſelfe ſaid vntounto Pilate, Ioh. 19.11. But why doe we not ad, that it is in his Church that hee truely diſplaieth and ſheweth forth indeede and moſt mightily this power of his? Becauſe there are very few which hauehave learned throughly to beleeue that God is almighty, a friende and preſeruer of ſuch as bee his, and that it cannot be that the Bridegrome ſuffer any one of them to periſh, whom the father hath giuen him, Ioh. 8.9.

12 Now touching this nūber of 60. we are not ſcrupulouſly to ſtand vponupon it, albeit that they who hauehave written of numbers obſerue in this nūber a ſpecial perfection, for which cauſe the Aſtrologers did eſpecially chuſe it for the eaſier & readier calculating their degrees & minutes: ſeeing a man may find in it without any fraction or broken nūber a moity or halfe, which is thirty, a third which is twenty, a fourth which is fifteene, a fifth which is twelue, a ſixth which is ten: all which numbers are found quoted in that materiall Temple built by Salomon, except the fifth which is the number of twelue. Beſides this if wee recken in particular, al the Canonicall bookes aſwell p. 356of the olde as of the newe teſtament, excluding the two latter Epiſtles attributed vntounto S. Iohn, which are indeed as it were priuate letters, we ſhal find they make iuſtly the number of 60. & thoſe are in truth as it were, the true gard of this true Salomon, as ſhall be told you anon. But to take this more ſimply, it is likely that this was the ordinary number of the garde who watched by night, & were the neareſt about the bed of Salomon.

13 But what are theſe of the gard? They are firſt of all the Angels which pitch their campe about al thoſe who feare God, Pſal. 34.8. After them are all the creatures which it pleaſeth him to vſe for the defence of his againſt their enimies, as we ſee in the ſtorie of Pharao, that the frogges, the flies, and the lice, mainteined the quarel of this ſpouſe, and ſtaied the rage of that tyrant. And how often did the Philiſtines themſelues reſcue as it were and defend Dauid from the force of Saul? But eſpecially becauſe our chiefeſt enemies, are not fleſhe and bloode, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Epheſ. 6.12. that is to ſay viſible enemies, but that great lion which ſeeketh to deuoure vsus, 1. Pet. 5.8. and ſo many wicked and damnable affections, which are bredde and borne with vsus: and becauſe we are to fight eueryevery houre and euerie moment by the vertue of the ſpirit of God, to come vntounto this eternall reſt which is heere repreſented vsus by this bedde, which we yet poſſeſſe not but by hope: therefore it is againſt theſe eſpeciallie that wee are to bee aſſiſted and aided with our ſpirituall & inuincible armour & weapons. Who are then theſe threeſcore ſouldiars, in this reſpect? They are truely theſe couragious and valiaunt rutters and olde ſouldiers, renowmed for their infinite victories againſt Satan and his angels, hauing all of them his ſworde vponupon his thighe, nay alreadie drawen in his hande, to fruſtrate and breake whatſoeuer the enemies of our ſaluation can enterpriſe or take in hande. Such were Abraham, Iſaack, and Iacob, and ſo manie legions of braue and valiaunt ſouldiers, whoſe valiaunt acts are regiſtred and recited, Heb. 11. Such were thoſe ſo many faithful and truſtie Captaines, whom neither Satan, nor any counterfeat ſhewe of falſe wiſedome whatſoeuer, nor any wiles, p. 357nor any cruelty of all the woorlde could withſtand or hinder from erecting and ſetting vp their trophees and ſignes of victory throughout the world: and building this holy Citty the foundation whereof they hauehave laid prepared by the Prophets 1. Cor. 3.10. Epheſ. 2.20. But ſome man wil ſay: theſe are dead a great while ſince, and howe then ſhall they be able to defend vsus at this day? Exceeding well and moſt aſſuredlie, not by their merites (for as a good auncient father, and he a verie learned Biſhop of Rome hath very well ſaide, The Saints gaue not, but receiued crownes of righteouſnes) nor by their interceſſions in heauen. For wee hauehave there one onelyonly mediator both of redemption and of interceſsion, which is our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, 1. Tim. 2.5. Heb. 1.25. 1. Ioh. 2.1. And al theſe merites and prayers whereof the falſe Paſtors make themſelues treaſurers, and diſpenſers of them for ready mony, are nothing elſe but ſo manie buyinges and ſellings of ſoules: a merchandize moſt abominable before the Lord. But behold how theſe valiaunt captaines are yet at this daie our defenders. Firſt by their examples, Rom. 15.4. Heb. 12.1. And therefore one among them and he of the moſt valiantſt and truſtie ſouldiours was bold to ſaie, Bee yee followers of me as I am of Ieſus Chriſt, 1. Cor. 11.1. Secondly▪ and principally we vnderſtand by theſe threeſcore men of gard, thoſe whoſe miniſtery God hath vſed for the building of that arſenal and artillery houſe from whence we are to take al thoſe our ſpiritual weapons with which the Apoſtle armeth his ſpirituall ritter, Epheſ. 6.13. I meane the holy ſcriptures vttered to the penne of the Prophets by the holy Ghoſt, 2. Pet. 1.21. and yet in more greater aboundance and with greater efficacy deliuered vntounto the Apoſtles, in whoſe writinges are to be found al theſe weapons ſet in order and prepared for eueryevery one that wil vſe thē, taking them & learning the vſe of them, from the hands of the true Paſtors and diſpenſers of them. Yee ſee what theſe gard are, yea ſee what theſe weapons are, with which whoſoeuer armeth and aideth himſelfe cannot chuſe but ſee Satan, the world, the fleſh, and ſinne caſt downe and trampled vnderunder his feete.

p. 35814 But aboue al let vsus ſeeke after our ſtrength and force where it is, to wit, in that great Salomon, of whom all the reſt is but an inſtrument: who beeing come, and hauing made the combate, and vanquiſhed all his enimies by his ſufferinges in reſpect of the aſſault which was giuen him, in as much as hee entred the combate for vsus: and maſtring in vsus from daie to day by his holy ſpirite theſe ſame enemies which are ſtill ſtirring within vsus, what hauehave wee longer to feare, to bee there with affrighted? Where is then our ſtrong hold, whither wee are at al times to flie and retire our ſelues? Verily in the ſtrength of the Bridegroome, of whom Dauid ſpeaking, In thee hauehave I truſted, ſaith he, I ſhal neuer be confoūded, Pſal. 31. And in another place, I will not feare though thouſandes of enemies bee camped againſt mee, Pſal. 3.7. And in another place, The Eternal is my light & my ſaluation, of whom ſhal I be afraid, Pſal. 27.1. This is he then which is the ſtrong and mighty one, on whoſe ſide wee muſt keepe vsus. For euen thoſe who die in this combat are of all others the moſt victorious. Now it maie pleaſe the Lorde who hath drawen vsus out of darckneſſe into this light of his truth, and hath placed and preſerued vsus moſt miraculouſly hitherunto in this holy reſt and peace of conſcience, waiting for the full accompliſhment of his promiſes, to ſettle and engrate in our mindes this holie aſſurance of his mighty power in good will towards vsus, that we bee neuer aſtonied by the aſſaultes of Satan, and of ſuch his adherentes as hee emploieth and vſeth againſt vsus: but that contrariwiſe we perſeuere and continue in this holy profeſſion of his truth, as wel by mouth, as alſo by an holy & chriſtian life, vntill wee come vntounto the real enioying of all that, which he hath made vsus to beleeue and hope for, according to his moſt holy and moſt aſſured promiſes: conformably vntounto which doctrine acknowledging our ouer great negligence hitherunto and lazineſſe in our duty, with other infinite faults and offences of ours, we wil craue mercy at his hands, ſaying.

Almighty God, &c.