Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs, Sermon 3

Sermons on Three Chapters of Song of Songs · Sermon 3

p. 28THE THIRD SERMON. Our helpe be in the name of God, &c.

2 For thy dilections are better then wine.

1 That the whole contentment of the ſpouſe or Bride proceedeth from this, that the Bridegroome hath loued her firſt.

2 The woork of creation is the firſt teſtimony of Gods louelove & dilection towards man.

3 The worke of redēption is a more admirable teſtimony of this dilection, but is particularly belonging vntounto the ſpouſe.

4 The teſtimony of this louelove is declared vntounto vsus in the holie Scriptures.

5 In what ſenſe theſe dilections are preferred before wine, and why the ſpouſe vſeth this word in the plural number.

6 The mutual and enterchaungeable dilection or louelove which is dewe vntounto the Bridegroome, is the ſum of the Law. And the principall abuſes which are committed in dilection or louelove, and in hatred.

7 That God alone ought properlie to be loued.

8 That knowledge muſt go before louelove, and how man before his fal knew and loued God.

9 Whether Adam and Eue had the knowledge of euil, thereby to hauehave hated it, before their fal.

10 Men before they be regenerate, cannot, nor wil not learne to louelove or hate aright.

11 The onlie ſpirit of God, which created vsus, teacheth the ſpouſe this leſſon, but yet not without reſiſtance.

12 The marueilous combate of the Bridegroome for his Bride.

13 The warre of the ſpirite againſt the fleſh is not by and by ended.

14 How wee ought to louelove one another, and the other creatures.

15 The hatred of vsus againſt the diuell ought to be irreconciliable.

16 How we ought to hate the wicked.

17 Abuſe in hating the creaturs which are made for our vſe.

18 A concluſion of the treatiſe of orderlie dilection and hatred.

WEE hauehave hearde howe the ſpouſe forgetting all other thinges whatſoeuer without exception, proteſted that ſhee deſired no other thing than the kiſſes of the mouth of her Bridegroome. Nowe to the ende that eueryevery one of vsus may knowe that ſhee ſpeaketh not as a fond paſſionate bodie, but as one which is indeed ſage and ſober, and which knoweth to make good difference between that which ſhe ought to deſire and that ſhe ought to ſhun, ſhe addeth a peremptory reaſon of her p. 29ſo ardent deſire, to wit, the dilections of her Bridegroome. Which thing becauſe it may be taken in two ſortes, either of the louelove of the Bridegroome towardes the Bride, or of the Bride towards the Bridegrome, we muſt firſt of al vnderſtand, that this heere is meant of the dilection wherewith the Bridegroome doth louelove the Bride. For otherwiſe the Bride ſhould brag and boaſt of her ſelfe, which the Saints of God are neuer wont to doe. This therefore is the ſenſe and meaning of this place, that it is not, but vponupon great ground and reaſon, that the ſpouſe forgetting all other thinges, yea euen her owne ſelfe, deſireth nothing elſe than to be loued of Ieſus Chriſt her Bridegrome, & to enioy her wel-beloued, ſeeing there is nothing to be compared vntounto the dilection and louelove of God towards vsus: whence it followeth reciprocally, that is, back againe, that there is nothing which we ought to louelove beſides him. But firſt wee muſt begin with him which hath loued vsus firſt, becauſe that without this, wee could neuer knowe him aright vntounto ſaluation, nor louelove him.

2 But who is able to ſound this bottomles depth, whereinto we now enter, I mean the ſpecial dilection of God towards his church? Truly our God is infinit & incomprenable in al his works, euen in the ſmalleſt of them, ſith there is no proportion at al, between that which is infinit, & that, which is boūded & limited, & we can go no farder in cōprehending that which is incōprenable, than to know it to be incomprenable. But God hauing made man, not to be cōprehended of him, but yet to be known notwithſtanding & adored in the gouernment of this world, hath giuē him a ſoul indued with vnderſtanding, which may attain as it were to the borders & skirts of his Maieſty, hauing for his obiect this goodly theatre of the worlde aboue & beneath, witneſſing ſenſibly (that is by a corporall obiect, and ſuch a one as may be perceiued by the corporall ſenſes) the eternity of the Creator, together with al his power, wiſedome, bounty and fauour in particular, towardes the flowar of all his workes, which is man. Pſal. 8. & 19. & 23. Rom. 1.20. And this was the firſt teſtimony of the infinite dilection of God towards p. 30man, to wit, the creation of the worlde (which hee hath made ſubiect vntounto many workes worthy of perpetual admiration, as we are taught, Pſal. 8.3. and which is called the wiſedome of God, 1. Cor. 1.21. and the mirrour of his eternity & power. Rom. 1.20.

3 But what? Man hauing put out the eies of his vnderſtanding not to ſee, or know any more, ſuch a fauor and exceeding grace of his Creator in the woork of his creation, behold this Bridegroome which appeared with an infinitely more cleare and euident teſtimony of his louelove and dilection in the woorke of redemption, than he had done in the woork of the creation of the world for man: yea without al compariſon, whether we conſider the maner he hath vſed to make this ſecond woorke, or whether we hauehave regard vntounto the worke it ſelfe. For in the creation, it was doutles an exceeding bounty & paſſing meaſure which moued him to make man after his owne image: ſo excellent and ſo perfect he made him. But what is this vntounto this infinite louelove and charity which moued him to make this ſecond work, by which he hath drawē, euen out of the corrupt maſſe of mankind, ſanctified notwithſtanding by his holy ſpirit, not onelyonly another man more holy, and more perfect without compariſon than euer the firſt was, but a Man-God, by vniting his ſonne perſonally, and for euer with our fleſh, yea with al our infirmities for a time in the fleſh, ſinne onelyonly excepted, and which is more, charging all our ſinnes vponupon him? And for whom? For vsus his enemies, out of whom hee hath choſen, and made to be borne this beloued ſpouſe, to the end that beeing rauiſhed with the Apoſtle, we ſhould cry out at this moſt high, moſt great, and moſt profound ſecret of ſecrets, Epheſ. 3.18. and 5.32. O the profound riches of the wiſedome and knowledge of God.

4 But behold yet another kind of incomprehenſible dilection and louelove which manifeſteth it ſelfe in this woorke of our redemption. For becauſe that this corporall preſence of his in the world ſhould not alwaies endure, the ſonne of God being not come into the world to conſummate and end his mariage p. 31here with his Church: but contrariwiſe to ſeeke after her, and to drawe her vp on high, into that moſt holy place whereinto he is entred firſt: Heb. 9.24. to prouide there for vsus an eternal habitatiō, Ioh. 14.2. 2. Cor. 5.1. To the end notwithſtāding, that this liuely image of the Sonne of God ſhould not leaue therefore to bee alwaies before our eies: Gal. 3.1. he hath left vsus his liuely pourtrait in his doctrine written by the Apoſtles, cōpriſing whatſoeuer is behoofull for vsus to knowe, either touching his perſon, or touching al the counſail of god his father cōcerning our ſaluation, Act. 20.17. & this after ſo euident a maner, as if, yea more ſpiritually, than if we ſaw it with our carnal eies only, hard it with our eares, touched it with our hands, as many did, which notwithſtanding knewe him not, nor vnderſtoode him as they ought to know and vnderſtand to ſaluation. What more? Behold dilection vponupon dilection. For becauſe it were in vaine to preſent the fayreſt thing in the world to thoſe which are blind, behold wherefore togither with his woorde ſo preached by himſelfe, & after written by his Apoſtles, he hath ſent in ful aboundance (as much as was neceſſary, to know and follow this good way) his holy ſpirit into his Church, according to thoſe promiſes of his made by his Prophets, and namelie by Ioel as S. Peter expoundeth the ſame: Act. 2.17. to lead vsus into al truth: Ioh. 16.13. giuing vsus eies to ſee, and eares to heare: in a word, to be and raigne himſelfe in our hearts vntounto the ende of the woorlde, which ſhal be the ful conſummation of this holy mariage: Mat. 28.20.

5 Maruail we then if this ſpouſe to whom onelyonly it is giuen to ſauour indeede ſuch a ſweetnes, beeing altogither rauiſhed herewith, neither loueth, nor deſireth any thing elſe, than the kiſſes of her Bridegroome, ſaying, that the wine is nothing in reſpect of his dilections? For by this woord wine ſhe meaneth not only that creature of God of which it is ſpecially ſaid, that it is made to reioyce the heart of man, Pſal. 104.15. but all delicatnes, yea without exception eueryevery other creature in the which a man may delight and take pleaſure. And therefore this ſpouſe ſpeaketh of the dilections of her Bridegroome in the plurall number: p. 32not that there bee many in the eſſence of God, in whome all things are but one, as himſelfe is but one, but in reſpect of vsus: becauſe that not only in this worlde God beſtoweth on vsus an infinit diuerſity of his graces, as wel in quality, as in quantity: but aboue al, in reſpect of that great treaſure of felicity, which he will heap vponupon his Church, when God ſhal be all in all, 1. Cor. 15.28. giuing her thoſe things which neuer eie hath ſeene, neuer eare hath hard, neuer hart hath conceaued: Eſay 64.4. 1. Cor. 2.9.

6 Laſt of al, let vsus learne of this ſpouſe the true vſe of conſidering of theſe infinite dilections of this Bridegroome, namely, to the end that as he hath loued vsus more than he needed, ſo that wee louelove him becauſe hee is onelyonly worthy to bee loued: whereupon it is requiſite and needefull that we here treate at large of true dilection, and well ordered hatred, which are two affections which rule, as I may ſay, all the other.

Our Lord Ieſus Chriſt Math. 22.36. being aſked his opinion touching the greateſt commaundement, ſendeth vsus back to the firſt table of the lawe, which he reduceth into this ſumme: Thou ſhalt louelove the Lord thy God with al thy hart, with al thy ſoule, and with all thy thought: and indeede mutuall louelove and amity, be it good or bad, leadeth vsus thereto, that he which loueth truly, ſeketh after nothing ſo diligently and ſo affectionatly, as to doe that which he knoweth to be agreeable and pleaſing to him, whom he loueth. And therfore the faithful ſoule which is here brought in, to ſhewe vsus what and how ardent the true affection of the faithful ſoule is towards God, began her ſpeech with the teſtimony of her extreme deſire ſhee hath to bee ioyned moſt neerely with Ieſus Chriſt her Bridegroome, to wit, to be vnited altogether vntounto him, yea to be as it were with him, to ſerue & to honor him with al her hart & al her might. And this is alſo the true, the right and the laſt end and ſcope of not only all our actions, but alſo of our whole vnderſtanding and will, to the end that we may ſay with the Apoſtle, that Ieſus Chriſt liueth in vsus and we in him: Gal. 2.20. So then as among all the reſt of the affections, louelove is the moſt ardent, ſo are the effects thereof moſt vehement, according to the ſaying of Chriſt: p. 33Where the treaſure is, there is the hart alſo, Luk. 12.34. but al lieth in this poynt, that a man louelove that which he ought to louelove, and ſo as he ought to louelove. And this is it wherein men do ordinarily deceiue them ſelues, louing that which they ſhould hate, & hating that which they ſhould louelove: or if happily they louelove that which they ſhould louelove, or hate that which they ſhoulde hate, yet not louing nor hating in ſuch ſort and ſo far as they ought, but euer either more or leſſe then they ought, or for ſome other end then they ought.

7 To correct therefore al theſe defaults, the ſpouſe teacheth vsus here firſt by her own example, that it is God alone, to ſpeak properly, whom wee ought to louelove, without giuing anie part of our hart to any other thing whatſoeuer. Which thing reaſon it ſelfe may in general teach vsus, how corrupt and peruerſe ſo euer it be. For there are two things which naturally drawe men to louelove, to wit, beuty and vertue: which if a man will not bee deceiued, muſt neuer bee ſeparated, witnes the common prouerb, That a fayre feature with foule conditions is nothing worth, beuty by it ſelfe being nothing elſe, but a vaine bayte and allurement, which draweth to an euil end. Now wee muſt of neceſſity confeſſe that God alone is properly beutifull and good, yea beuty and vertue or goodnes it ſelfe in infinite perfection, ſeeing whatſoeuer is good and beutifull among the creatures, is but a ſmall glimmering beame of that which is wholy entire and eſſential in the Creator.

8 But becauſe that God is incomprehenſible not onelyonly to our outward ſenſes, ſo that we cā neither ſee, nor hear, nor taſt, nor ſmell, nor touch him, but alſo to our vnderſtanding: it ſeemeth that it may be thence concluded, that therefore we cannot any way neither know, nor louelove him, ſeing we muſt know him before we louelove him, nor by conſequent ſerue him aright; whence it would follow, that our faith and hope are thinges vaine and friuolous, which would bee the ouerthrowing of all religion. You ſee then why this matter is to be vnderſtood yet more clearely. The Scripture therefore teacheth vsus that the Creator hauing created al things for his glo…y▪ Prouerb. 16.4. p. 34that is to ſay, to be thereby glorified (which could not be if he made not himſelfe to bee in ſome ſort knowen by them) hath not made notwithſtanding al creatures capable of this knowledge, but only Angels and men. As for the Angels we wil not ſpeak of them in this place. But touching men, Moſes ſheweth vsus by this word of image and likenes of God, according to the which he ſaith that God created man, that the Lord creating the ſoule of the firſt man engraued togither in his vnderſtanding a marueilous light and knowledge naturally infuſed, to know his Creator, and that in a very high degree of knowledge: and likewiſe a moſt excellent vprightnes and integrity in will, to hauehave no affection whatſoeuer which were not correſpondent to the nature and will of God, perfectly iuſt and perfectly good. The which thing is expounded by the Apoſtle by the words of truth in vnderſtanding, and of righteouſneſſe in will, when hee declareth what was this image and reſemblance of god, Epheſ. 4.24. & al this that God might be known and glorified by him. Beſide theſe two graces the Creator had alſo engraued in all his creatures innumerable teſtimonies both of his infinit wiſedome and liberality, and of al other his perfections, in yealding the gouernment of them next vnderunder himſelf vntounto man, as hauing made them for his vſe, as is declared among other places in the eight Pſalme: to the ende that this knowledge of God, and vprightnes of affection might by the obiect of the creatures bee maintained and confirmed in man, hauing alwaies before his eies ſo many mirrours or looking-glaſſes to behold the perfections in God, as were creatures in the world: and ſo many teſtimonies of the goodness of God towardes him, as were creatures made for the vſe of man, and ſubiected to his gouernment. And of this it followeth, that man is not only bound to giuegive God thanks for that which he hath receiued from him, in himſelfe, but alſo for all the giftes which God hath beſtowed vponupon all other creatures for man, which are as it were preachers of the glory of God vntounto men, Pſal. 19. and if they had vnderſtanding and mouthes, woulde cry with a loud voice, both aboue and below ſaying, Yee men, p. 35for whom we are made, thank God for vsus, glorifie him in vsus: Whereas ſince the fal of man, by the ſinne of whom they hauehave beene brought to this miſerable eſtate whereunto they hauehave been ſubiect, Gen. 3.17. they cry and demaund vengeaunce of god, Rom. 8.22. The creatures therefore being faire & good euerie one in his degree, as Moſes alſo diſtinctly ſpecifieth the ſame in the hiſtory of the creation, and as I hauehave ſaid, beautie and goodnes beeing the obiects of dilection, it followeth that man naturally before his fall (which was alſo requiſite for the right gouernment of al thoſe thinges which were committed vntounto him, ſeeing none taketh pleaſure to maintaine and gouerne that which he hateth) bare an affection vntounto al the creatures, but yet ſo, that in the beuty and goodneſſe of them, he did contemplate the author and giuer, and therefore by conſequent loued not, to ſpeake properly, the creatures, but the Creator in contemplating and beholding the creatures.

9 Now ſeeing that louelove and hatred are ſo directly contrary, and that the one putteth forth the other, it muſt needes bee that man before his fall hated that which was foule and ill, ſeeing hee loued that which was fayre and good. But, howe can this be true, whereas before the fall of man all was faire and good in the worlde, as the Lord had made it? Gen. 1.31. I anſwere, that truly ſeeing there was nothing foule or euill in the worlde, man before his fall hated nothing, but loued his Creator in all things. But ſeeing he was endewed with vnderſtanding to knowe wherein he ought to louelove his Creator, hee had alſo in himſelfe the meane to know, that he ought to hate the contrary if he ſhould meete with it: as indeede alas he met it with a miſchiefe, when Satan (which remaining not in his firſt eſtate had made himſelfe moſt fowle and moſt wicked) diſcouered himſelfe inough vntounto him for ſuch a one as he was, and moſt worthy to be hated and reiected, when in tempting of him, he accuſed the creator of enuy and lying. And behold here wherein Eue, and after her Adam did faile inexcuſably, to wit, that in ſteede of vſing that addreſſe and helpe which they had to know well enough and to hate this deceiuer, they p. 36ſuffered themſelues to be perſwaded of him, & ſo enthralled and captiuated themſelues with all their poſterity in this corruption: Rom. 7.14. which maketh that he is now moſt blinde and moſt bad together in louing and in hating.

10 For if we examine the whole courſe and traine of the worlde, what ſhall wee finde els, but ſome deceiued in the difference betweene good and faire, and euill and foule: others wittingly louing that which is worthy of hatred, and hating that which they ought to louelove? For example, if the queſtion bee touching that which directly concerneth the louelove and ſeruice of God, behold the ſuperſtitious and Idolaters ſo bewitched, that not only they cānot, nor wil not know & louelove the truth, but they ſtop their cares that they may not heare, & their eyes that they may not ſee, and which more is, they perſecute it with fire and ſword. Behold on the other ſide the Atheiſts and mockers of all religion, with which the whole world at this day ſtinketh, the earth it ſelfe demaunding vengeance of God. If we ſpeake of the life of men towardes men, and conſider whereunto all apply and giuegive themſelues great and ſmall from morning to euening, we ſhall finde that ſome burſt with the plenty and abundance they hauehave, and would ſel paradiſe out of hand for a lickerous morſel, others trauaile not to ſerue God by their life, but only to maintaine this life, fearing they ſhould die for famine, and will not ſtick, ſo they may ſaue a farthing, to looſe their ſoul, & the word of their ſaluation: others poſſeſſe not their goods, but are poſſeſſed of thē in body & in ſoul, others welter and walowe like hogs in their wanton luſtes, others are inſatiable in ſwallowing downe of honour to fil themſelues with wind, others giuegive themſelues to ten thouſand vanities, as this wiſe king Salomon himſelfe hath at large declared in his booke of the Preacher. In a word, ſee how by not louing and hating as they ought, eueryevery man departeth out of this life, without knowing, or without well thinking thereon, what he came hither to do.

11 You ſee thē what this euil is & what is the original cauſe therof. But what remedy is there? To hauehave recourſe vntounto him p. 37which hath made vsus, & who alone can make vsus anew, by the ſame power, which is his holy ſpirite, enlightening the eies of our vnderſtanding: Epheſ. 1.18. Act. 26.18. framing a clean heart within vsus, Pſal. 51.12. creating in vsus both to will and to doe. Phil. 2.13. in a woorde, making vsus from the head to the feete new creatures, 2. Cor. 5.17. that is to ſay, ſuch as this ſpouſe is ſet before vsus here to bee, which is at large deſcribed vntounto vsus by Ezechiel, both in her firſt eſtate and condition, and alſo in this whereunto ſhe is exalted, Ezech. 16. in ſuch ſort that rightly the Apoſtle calleth the Church the woorkemanſhippe of God. 1. Cor. 9.1. yea of him alone in reſpect of the effect, 1. Cor. 3.7. and a woorke ſo long, and ſo hard and difficult, becauſe of our rebellion, that the ſpirite of God cannot, as I may ſo ſay, come to the end thereof but with time, and by plucking vsus vp as it were by a pully. Which ſeeing it is ſo, let vsus conſider what this perfect louelove and charitie of ours ought to be towardes God and our neighbour, the portraiture whereof, is ſet down in the two tables of the Lawe, and hath too in ſome ſort beene knowen & marked by a Painim, ſaying, (in ſpeaking of the mutuall frindſhip of men,) that true and perfect louelove and frindſhip is ſhewn in this, that the one deſireth that which the other deſireth, and wil not that which the other wil not, which is as much to ſay, that hee loueth that which the other loueth, and hateth that which the other hateth. This is an excellent rule to direct our whole life by, if we take the Lawe of God for the ground and foundation of that which wee ought to louelove and to hate, and by conſequent preſuppoſe, that the will of the Bridegroome which is the head, whoſe wil is declared in his Lawe, giueth a Law vntounto the wil of the ſpouſe, witnes that which we craue eueryevery day in our praier, ſaying, Thy will be done.

12 And to ſhew how neceſſary this patern is, behold Ieſus Chriſt, that is to ſay the Bridegrome himſelf, who being come into the world to cōquer & win this Bride, & to kiſſe hir, as hir ſelfe deſired, with his own mouth, being in cōbate with him, which held her frō him, vttereth this ſtrange ſpeech Notwithſtanding not that which I wil, but which thou wilt. Mat. 26.39. And p. 38what meaneth this? Was there a ſtrife and rebellion betweene the wil of Ieſus Chriſt and the wil of God his Father? None at all. For were it ſo, hee coulde not hauehave beene either God, or ſo much as a good man, much leſſe our Sauiour, as indeede and truth he is. For as much then as the perſon of the father and of the holy Ghoſt, and his, are one and the ſame God, his wil alſo is one & the ſame wil with the father & the holy ghoſt. And in aſmuch as he is man he had another wil, as it were another nature, but without all repugnancy notwithſtanding againſt his diuine wil. Who is it thē which ſpeaketh thus? Ieſus chriſt, God & mā, but according to his humanity: againſt which diſtinctly this combat was addreſſed, becauſe it was in it, that he ſhould make his combat and ouercome as it were himſelfe, in aſmuch as he is God the iudge and reuenger of ſinne, in ſuch ſort that in one perſon alone, he is aſſailed and aſſaulted, and is alwaies conquerour. And what cauſed him ſo to ſpeak? Not any rebellion of his humane wil againſt his diuine wil, but only a diuerſity proceeding from the apprehenſion of that moſt frightfull and moſt horrible feeling of the curſe & malediction of God, againſt al the ſinnes of the elect, which he had vponupon himſelfe, although he had no blemiſh at al in himſelfe: an apprehenſion notwithſtanding entirely ſubiecting it ſelfe vntounto the will of God, and in eueryevery point wel ordered and gouerned. And if the Bridegroome ſpeake thus beeing altogither perfect, what muſt the Bride and ſpouſe doe, in whom this orderlineſſe and good regiment of wil is ſcarcely begun?

13 Behold therefore, I ſay, why this change, by which it is giuen vntounto this Bride to louelove that which her Bridegroome loueth, and to hate that which he hateth, is not a woorke of an hour, not of a day, not of a month, not of a year, but a continuall combat, ſo long as life laſteth betweene the ſpirit of the regenerate man, and the fleſhe of him which remaineth ſtill in his old skin. And therefore this which the ſpouſe here ſpeaketh, and ſhall tell vsus heareafter of the affection which ſhe beareth vntounto her Bridegroome, in whom ſhee ſeeketh her whole reſt and contentment, is not fainedly ſpoken or in hypocriſie, p. 39for the Church is not the ſchoole of fainedneſſe & hypocriſie, but of truth and ſyncerity. But this ought to bee vnderſtood, as of her in whom ſinne raighneth no more, Rom. 6.14. and yet leaueth not to be in her notwithſtanding, Rom. 7.17.18. & to fight as much as it is able againſt the ſpirite, Gal. 5.17. the Apoſtle himſelf one of the moſt perfecteſt mēbers of this faithful & chaſt ſpouſe may be more than a ſufficient witnes hereof vntounto vsus, crying out that hee doth yet the euil which hee would not doe, and doth not that good which he would doe: and againe crying forth, miſerable man that I am, who ſhal deliuer me from this mortall body, Rom. 7.19.24. Let vsus therefore confeſſe, that through the grace of God, this ſpouſe, which is the company of the true faithful, is reformed, both in her vnderſtanding, to diſcerne betweene that which is good and that which is euill, and in her affections to louelove & folow after that which is good, & to hate and fly that which is euil: but yet notwithſtanding ſhee muſt ſtil growe both in this knowledge from faith to faith Coloſſ. 1.10. 2. Pet. 3.18. and in the practiſe not onelyonly of louing and of hating rightlie and ſoundlie, but alſo ſo far and in ſuch meaſure as ſhe ought, the which thing is eſpecially hard to obſerue.

14 Yet is it an eaſie matter to know it, to wit, that ſeeing a man muſt louelove God with al his hart, he may not diuide & part this dilection to other things: and touching the louelove due vntounto a mans neighbour, being loued next after God, and for the obedience we owe vntounto God, this dilection is nothing elſe, but a ſtreame flowing from the fountaine of that louelove due entirely vntounto God alone, and not, to ſpeak properly, another dilection, for which our heart is parted and diuided into two. For God which is iealous of his ſpouſe and of his glory, wil hauehave either all or none. That which I ſpeake of our neighbour, yea of all men, ought to be practiſed towards all the creatures made for our vſe, vntounto the which we muſt take heede we transferre not our louelove, as the couetous doe which make an idol of their ſubſtance. Epheſ. 5.5. The riotous and gluttons which hauehave no other God but their belly, Philip. 3.19. and in generall all p. 40thoſe which make their ſoule & their body to ſerue any other creature, according vntounto their paſſions and luſts, in ſteede of vſing them with giuing of thanks, praiſing and bleſſing the Lord in them: 1. Tim. 4.4. and keeping our ſelues from all diſorder and vnmeaſurablenes, be it in quantity, or in quality, or principally in the end & ſcope of the right vſage of them, which is the glory of god, 1. Cor. 10.31. as wee are warned by diuerſe aduertiſements ſowed here and there, touching this point, throughout the Scriptures. Thus you ſee what this dilection is of the true ſpouſe, addreſſing and turning her hart thither, where her treaſure is, according to that meaſure of grace which is beſtowed vponupon her.

15 But what ſhal we ſay of the hatred which is ioyntly oppoſed to louelove & dilection? It is eaſy to vnderſtand, that we muſt aſmuch hate that which is euil, as louelove that which is good. But whereas euil is not a creature of God, but a vitious quality fallen on that which was created good, we muſt put a great difference betweene the Creature and the vice, as much, I ſay, as may and can bee put. This I adde, becauſe of one creature, the which is ſo corrupted, and ſo far curſed of God, becauſe it hath beene the original and ſpring of al vice and of al euil, as wel in it ſelfe as in man, and conſequently of ſinne and of death: that it is, and ſhal euer be worthy of all hatred and execration, I meane the Diuel and his Angels. And behold my brethren, behold him which being perpetual enemy of this Bridegrome who hath bruſed his head: Gen. 13.15. and troden it vnderunder his owne feete and vnderunder the feete of his ſpouſe, Rom. 16.20. and ſeeking nothing elſe but as a greedy Lion to deuour vsus: 1. Pet. 5.8. this old red Dragon I ſay, purſuing this ſpouſe with al manner of rage, Apoc. 12.3. this is he whom we muſt hate with an irreconciliable hatred, this is hee againſt whom wee muſt armour our ſelues with al the pieces of our armour: Epheſ. 6.13. and 1. Theſſ. 5.8. in a word this is he whom wee muſt perpetually deteſt and abhor.

16 As for the other creatures there is choyce to be made. For firſt becauſe man alone amongeſt all the creatures is infected p. 41with the poyſon and venom of this ſerpent, yea and that wholy and entirely both within and without, we muſt conſider of him alſo diſtinctly: and behold how wee muſt gouerne our ſelues herein. It is true that mankind is altogither corrupted and conſequently euerie man beeing ſuch, euen from his conception, Pſal. 51.7. is culpable of the wrath of God: Eph. 2.3. It is alſo true that the Law of frindſhip requireth, that a man be a frind of his frinds frinds, and an enemy of his frindes enemies. But becauſe that God of his infinit goodneſſe would not adiudge euerie man particularly vntounto euerlaſting deſtruction, as he hath done Satan & the Angels his cōplices, but contrariwiſe would draw his ſpouſe & his Church out of this corrupt maſſe, in ſuch maner as I hauehave before ſpoken: & thereupon we cannot (& therefore conſequently we ought not) but by very vncertain preſumptiōs diſcern thoſe, which he hath deſtinated or not deſtinated vntounto this fauour: therefore leauing vntounto God his ſecret iudgemēts, we muſt indeed be frinds vntounto the frinds, & conſequently enimies vntounto the enimies of our beloued, but indefinitely: that is to ſay, without giuing of ſentence of this man, or that man to ſet & ſort him among the nomber of the reprobat. On the contrary ſide knowing by experience of our ſelues, that of being his enimies by nature, Epheſ. 2.3. he hath made vsus his friends, Rom. 5.8. Epheſ. 2.11. we muſt irreconciliably hate the euil, that is to ſay, the corruption, & al the fruits thereof, firſt in our ſelues, then in eueryevery one beſides, & yet not hate the perſons, but contrarywiſe ſeek by al meanes to make them partakers of the ſame grace, which is ſhewed on vsus by our cō tinual praiers vntounto god, beſeeching him, That his kingdom come: (which cōſiſteth in the accompliſhment of the number of his elect in the laſt day, 1. Cor. 15.24.) and by all duty of charity, euen towards ſtraungers themſelues, to force them to enter in vntounto the banquet, Luk. 13.14. towards the domeſticall, which ſhut out themſelues, to the end to make them aſhamed to ſtay without, 2. Theſ. 3.14. yea towards the perſecutors thēſelues, Mat. 5.14. being apparant by the firſt ſermon of Saint Peter, Act. 2.37. that the Lorde praied not in vaine indefinitely for p. 42them which crucified him, Luk. 23.34. and by the conuerſion of Saint Paul, that Saint Stephen praied not in vaine for them which ſtoned him, Act. 7.60. And thus wee muſt vnderſtand the ſaying of Dauid, to wit, indefinitely, that he hateth yea entierly hateth thoſe which hated God, Pſal. 139.21. and the imprecatiōs which he vſeth in many places of his Pſalms, excepting ſuch as be propheticall, of which ſort there are alſo ſome in Saint Paul, Gal. 5.12. & 2. Tim. 4.14. which we muſt take good heed we draw not into conſequence, according to that aduertiſement which Ieſus chriſt gaue his diſciples in this behalfe, when they would raſhly imitate the zeal of Elias, Luk. 9.55. And yet we are likewiſe commaunded to flie, yea to deteſt the companies of the diſſolute & wicked, 1. Cor. 5.9. although Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe tooke his repaſt with ſinners and Publicanes, whereof he yeeldeth a reaſon, Mat. 9.13.

17 As for other creatures which are made for our vſe, there is no queſtion of hating or flying of them in themſelues, being good creatures of god. In the which point ſome fantaſtical mē do fail, of whō the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, 1. Tim. 4.3. & ſome others, which would bring vp again the legal diſtinction & differēce of meates, Coloſſ. 2.21 & yet to this day certaine ſuperſtitious hipocrites, of whom it is ſpoken: Math. 23.24. make a conſcience of ſmelling vntounto a noſegay: whereas this ſpouſe ſaide not, that wine is naught, but that the dilections of her Bridegroome are a great deale better. We muſt therefore louelove them leſſe then to ſet our whole hart vponupon them, as hath bin handled by vsus alitle before. For rather wee muſt fly all things which eſtrange & turne vsus from the louelove of God, without excepting father or mother, wife or childrē, which is meant by this word of hating where mention is made of hating, that is to ſay we muſt ſet all things without exception after the glory of God & our vocation, Deu. 33.9. Luk. 14.26. In a word, it is this ſpouſe who in this reſpect, is crucified to the world, and the world crucified vntounto her, Gal. 6.14. vſing the world as if ſhe vſed it not, according vntounto the ſaying of the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 7.31. and being ſo in the world that ſhe is not of the woorlde, Ioh. 17.11.16.

p. 4318 Yee ſee then my brethren what the louelove and dilection of the Bridegroome is towards his Bride, whence proceedeth our ſaluatiō: you ſee on the other ſide how we ought reciprocally to louelove him which hath loued vsus ſo much, wherein conſiſteth the teſtimony of our election & ſaluation. 1. Ioh. 4.12. Laſtly you ſee how we ought in this world to order & rule our louelove and hatred, which is the ſum of a Chriſtian mans life. God of his mercy giuegive vsus grace throughly to knowe & to followe this way, which we will demaund of him together with all other things neceſſary for vsus, beſeeching him as followeth.

Almightie God our heauenly father, &c.