Bowels Opened, Sermon 13
THE THIRTEENTH SERMON.Ser. XIII.
CANT. V. VIII. IX.
I charge you O daughters of Ierusalem if yee find my Beloved that ye tell him I am sicke of love.
What is thy Beloved more then another Beloved O thou fairest among woemen, &c.
THe soule as it is of an immortall substance, so in the right and true temper thereof, aspireth towards immortality, unlesse when it is clouded and overprest with that which presseth downewards,Heb. 12. 1. and the s…n which hang…th so fast on (as the Apostle speakes) which is the reason of those many and divers to…si…gs and turmoylings of the inlightned soule, now up now downe, now running amaine homewards and now againe sluggish, idle and lasie, untill rowsed up by extraordinary meanes it puts on againe;Simile. as the fire mounteth upwards unto its proper place, and as the needle still trembleth till it stand at the North, so the soule once inflamed with an heavenly fire, and acquainted with her first originall, cannot be at rest untill it find it selfe in that comfortable way which certainely leads homewards.
An instance whereof we have in the Church heere, who having lost her sweet communion with Christ, and so paid dearly for her former neglect and slighting his kind invitations, (as being troubled, restlesse in mind, beaten and wounded by the watch-men, bereft of her vaile, &c.) Yet this heavenly fire of the blessed spirit, this water of life so restlesly springing in her, makes her sicknesse of love and ardent desire after Christ to be such, that she cannot containe her selfe,John. 4. but breakes forth in this passionate charge and request,
I charge you O daughters of Ierusalem if ye find my Beloved that ye tell him, I am sicke of love.
Thus we may see that the way to Heaven is full of changes, the strength of corruption overclouds many times and damps our joyes. How many severall tempers hath the Church beene in? Sometimes she is all compounded of joy vehemently desiring kisses of her best beloved, she holds her beloved fast and will not let him goe, and sometimes againe she is gone, hath lost her beloved, is in a sea of troubles, seekes and cannot find him, becomes sluggish, negligent, overtaken with selfelove, after which when she hath smarted for her omissions (as here againe) she is all a fire after Christ (as we say) no ground will hold her, away she flies after him, and is restlesse untill she finde him, where by the way we see, That permanency and stability is for the life to to come; here our portion is to expect changes, storms and tempests, therefore they must not be strange to particuler persons, since it is the portion of the whole Church, which thus by sufferings and conformity to the head must enter into glory,2 Cor. 4. 17. whiles God makes his power perfect in our weakenesse,2 Cor. 12. 9. overcomes Satan by unlikely meanes and so gets himselfe the glory, even out of our greatest infirmities, temptations and abasements.
But God though he make all things worke for good unto his children, even the Divell,Rom. 8. 28. sinne and death, desertions, afflictions and all, yet wee must be warned hereby not to tempt God, by neglecting the meanes appointed for our comfortable passage: but open to Christ when he knockes, imbrace him joyfully in his ordinances, and let our hearts flie open unto him. For though (through his Mercy) our wounds be cured; yet who would be wounded to try such dangerous experiments, as here befell the Church in her desertions, for her sluggish duplicate page duplicate page negligence, deadnesse and selfe-love.
So that we see there is nothing gotten by favouring our selvesin carnall liberty, security, or by yeelding to the flesh. The Church stood upon tearmes with Christ when he would have come in to her, but what ensued hereupon? she fell into a grievous des…rtion, and not onelyonly so but findes very hard usage abroad, all which shee might have prevented by watchfulnesse, carefulnesse and opening to Christ knocking. It is a spirituall error to which we are all prone, to thinke that much is gained by favouring our selves, but we shall finde it otherwise: see here …gaine that God will beare with nothing though in his owne, but he will sharpely punish them even for omissions, and that not only with defertion, but sometimes they shall meete with oppositions in the world.
David cannot scape with a proud thought in numbring of the people,1 Sam. 1. but he must smart for it and his people also. God is wonderous carefull of his Children to correct them,Amos 3. 2. when he lets strangers alone. It is a signe of love when he is at this cost with us. And it should tie us to be carefull of our behaviour, not to presume upon Gods indulgence, for the neerer we are to him the more carefull he is over us, he will be sa… ctified in all that come neere him, Levit. 10 3.we see the Corinthians because they came unreverently to the Lords table, (though otherwise they were holy men) some of them are sicke, 1 Cor. 11.some weake, others sleep, that they might not be condemn…d with the world.
Let none therefore thinke the profession of Religion to imply an immunity, but rather a straighter bond; for, I…dgement begins as the house of God, whatsoever he suffers abroad he will not suffer disorders in his owne house, as the Prophet saies,Amos. 3. 2. You onelyonly have I knowne of all the families of the earth, therefore you shall not goe unpunished. The Church is neere him, his spouse whom he loveth, and therefore he will correct her, not induring any abatement, or decay of the first love in her. And for this very cause hee threatneth the Church of Ephesus, Rev. 2.to remove her candlesticke.
To proceed, the poore Church here is not discouraged, but discovers and empties her selfe to the daughters of Ierusalem, as it is the nature of Culinary fire not onelyonly to mount upwards, but also to bewray it selfe by light and heat,Simile. so of this heavenly fire when it is once kindled from above, not onelyonly to aspire in its motion but to discover it selfe in affecting others with its qualities, it could not containe it selfe here in the Church but that she must goe to the daught…rs of Ierusalem, I charge you O daughters of …, if yee finde my Beloved that yee tell him that I am sicke of love. Therefore they may doubt that they have not this heavenly fire kindled in them, that expresse it not seriously, for of all affections it will not be concealed.Psal. 119. David wonders at his owne love, Oh how I love thy law, oh how aimeable are thy Tabernacles?
Againe we see here,A love sicke soule stands not upon tearmes. that where the … of love, it stands not upon any tearmes, but it humbleth and abaseth it selfe. We say that affection stands not with Majesty, therefore Christs love to us mooved him to abase himselfe in taking our nature that he might be one with us, love stood not upon tearmes of greatnesse, we see the Church goes to those that were meaner proficients in religion then her selfe, to powre out her spirit to them,1 Thes. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 13. to the daughters of Ierusalem, She abaseth her selfe to any service, love endureth all things, anything to att…ine to the thing loved,Gen 34. 24. as we see Hamor the sonne of Shichem he would indure painefull circumcision for the love he bore to Dinah. Act. 6.So Acts. 5. 4 I. it is said they went away rejoycing after they were whipped, because they loved Christ. The spirit of love made them rejoyce when they were most disgracefully used.
Sometimes where this affection of heavenly love is prevalent,That this sicknesse of divine love works also upon the body Psal. 3…3. so that a man is sicke of it, the distempers thereof redounds to the body and reflects upon that, as we see in David, Psal. 32. 4. That his moysture became as the drought of summer, because there is a marriage and a simpathy betweene the soule and the body, wherein the excessive affections of the one redound and reflect upon the other.
Tell him that I am sicke of love, here is a sicknes but not unto death but unto life, a sicknesse that never ends but in comfort & satisfaction,Math 5. 6. blessed are those that hunger and thirst after Christ, they shall be satisfied, as we shall see afterwards more at large.
Knowledge gives not the denomination, for we may know …ll and be good, and we m…y know good and be evill, but it is the affection of the soule which cleaves to the things known,It is not our knowledge that makes … good or evill, but goodness… love … and cleaved to …akes us to be so. the truth of our love is that gives the denomination of a state to be good or ill, love is the weight and wing of the soule, which carries it where it goes, which if it carry usto earth we are base and earthly, if to heaven, heavenly, we should have especiall care how we fixe this affection; for thereafter as it is, even so is our conditiō, Aske thy love of what City thou art whether of Ierusalem or of Babylon, (as Austin saith) Now the daughters of Jerusalem reply unto the Church wondering at her earnestnesse.
What is thy Beloved more then another Belov…d, O tho… fairest among woe…en, what is thy Beloved more then another Beloved that thou do…t so charge us:
In steed of giving satisfaction to her they reply with asking new Q…estions, What is thy Beloved more then ano…her Beloved, O thou fairest among woemen? what is thy Beloved, &c. Wherein ye have a doubling of the Question, to shew the feriousnesse of it, of this their answer there are two parts.
1. A loving and sweet Compellation, O thou f…rest among woemen.
2. The Question doubled, what …s thy Beloved morethen another Beloved. And againe, What is thy Beloved, &c. that thou dost so charge us, as if they should say, Thou layest a serious charge upon …s, therefore there is some great matter surely in thy Beloved that th…u makest such inquiry after him. Thus the weaker Christians being stirred up by the example of the stronger, they make this Question and are thus inquisitive, but to speake of them in their order.
O thou fairest among woemen, here is the Compellation, the Church is the fairest among woemen in the judgement of Christ, so he calls her, Cant. 1. 8. O … fairest among woemen, and here the fellow members of the Church tearm… her so too, faire and the fa…rest, incomparably fair….
But how com…th …hee to be thus faire?Quest.Answ.
It is i… reg…d that shee i… cloath… with … robes, Rev. 12. there is a woeman mentioned clothed with the Sunne,The Church is faire in regard she is clothe… with C…rist. we were all ennobled with the image of God at the first, but after we had sinned we were bereft of that image, therefore now all our beauty must be clothing, which is not naturall to man but artificiall, fetched from other things, our beauty now is borrowed, it is not connaturall with us, the beauty of the Church now comes from the head of the Church Christ, she shines in the beames of her husband: not onelyonly in Justification, but in Sanctification also.
The Church … lovely and faire againe, as from Christs imputative righteausnesse, so from his … in her, the graces she hath … him: for of him,2. In regard of the graces she …at… from C…rist she shines. wee receive Grace for Grace, there is never a grace but it is beautifull and faire: for what is grace but the beames of Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse, so that all must be faire tha… … from the …, all beautifull that comes from the first beauty.
This beauty of grace whereby it makes the Church so faire springs from these grounds.
First, In that it is from a divine principle and originall, it is not basely bred but from Heaven, and therefore it raiseth the soule above nature and makes the subjects wherein it is as farre surpasse all other men as men doe beasts.
Secondly, In regard of the continuance, it is everlasting and makes us continue for ever. All flesh is grasse,Isay. 40. 6. and as the flower of grasse (saith the Prophet,) and it is repeated in the New Te…tament in divers places. All worldly excellencie is as the flower of grasse:1 Pet. 1. 24. the grasse with…eth and the flower fade…, but the word of the Lord, (that is the grace that is imprinted in the soule by the Spirit with the word) that abideth for ever, and makes us abide likewise.
From this fairenesse of the Church let us take occasion to contemplate of the excellency of Christ that puts this … of beauty upon the Church.Vse. Moses married a woeman that was not beautifull, but could not alter the complection and condition of his spouse. But Christ doth, he takes us wallowing in our bloud, deformed and defiled, he is such a husband as can put his Church into his owne dispos…tion and tran…forme her into his owne proportion.That C…rist is the most excellent husband. He is such a Head as can quick…n his members, such a roote as instills life into all his branches; such a foundation as makes us living stones, there is a ver…ue and power in this husband above ….
But shee is blacke?
She is so indeed and she confesseth her selfe to be so,Object. Cant. 1. 5. I am blacke but comely,Answ. blacke in regard of the afflictions and persecutions of others shee meets with in this world.In what regard the Church calls her selfe blacke.
Blacke againe, In regard of Scandalls, for the Divell hates the Church more then all societies in the world, therefore in the society of the Church there are often more scandalls then in other people, as the Apostle tells the C…rinthians, there was incest amongst them the like was not among the heathen.1 Cor. ….
She is blacke through the envie of the world that lookes more at the Churches faults then vertues.How the Churches state in this life comes to be s… full of scanda…s.
The Church is blacke and unlovely nothing diff…ring from others, In regard of Gods outward dealing. All falls alike to all, they are sicke and deformed,Eccles. 9. 2. they have all things outwardly whatsoever is common with others.
Lastly and principally she is blacke, In respect of her Infirmities and weakenesses, subject to weakenesse and passions as other men, the beauty of the Church is inward and undiscerned to the carnall eye altogether: the Scribes and Pharisees see no vertue in Christ himselfe. It is said, that he came among his owne, and his owne could not d…scerne of him: John. 1. 1. 1.the darkenesse could not comprehend that light. Now as it was with Christ, so it is much more with the Church, let this then be the use of it.Vse. 1.
Oppose this state of the Church to the false judgement of the world:Oppose Iudgement to Iudgement. they see all blacke and nothing else that is good; Christ sees that which is black too: but then his spirit in them (together with the …ight of their blacknesse) seeth their beauty too. I am blacke but comely, &c. Be not discouraged therefore at the censure of the world, blind men cannot judge of colours. It is said of Christ,Isa. 53. hee had no forme or beauty in him, when wee shall see him. I. Not in outward glory, …Por in the view of the world. If we be therefore thought to be blacke, wee are no otherwise thought of then the Church and Christ hath beene before us.
Againe,Vse. 3. Let us make this Use of it, against Sathan in the time of temptation, To remember Christs judgement of the Church when we are under temptation.doth Christ thinke us faire for the good we have, doth he not altogether valew us by our ill… and shall we beleeve Sathan, who joynes with the distempers of melancholly, or weakenesse wee are in, which he useth as a weapon against the soule, to make us thinke otherwise, Sathan is not onelyonly a …ourtherer, but a ly…r from the beginning. We must not beleeve an enemy, and a lyer withall. But consider how Christ and the Church judgeth, that have better discerning. And let us beware wee be not sathans to our selves: For if there were no Divell, yet in the time of temptation and desertion we are subject to discouragement, to give false witnesse against our selves, we are apt to looke on the darkeside of the Cloud.Exod. 14. 20. The Cloud that went before the Israelites had a double aspect, one darke, the other light;Simile. In temptation wee looke on the darke side of the soule, and are witty in pleading against our selves. Oh but consider what Christ judgeth of us, O thou faires… among woemen, and what those about us that are learned, who can reade our evidences better then we our selves, doe judge of us, let us trust the judgement of others in time of temptation more then our owne.
Learne againe here,Vse. 3. What to judge of the spirits of such kinde of men,To see the bitternesse of their spirits that can or will see no go… in Go…s Children. as are all in disgracing and defacing the poore Church, their table talke is of the infirmities of Christians, they light upon them as flies doe upon sore places, and will see nothing that is good in them,Simile. O where is the spirit of Christ, or of the Church of Christ in them that thus bescratch the face of the Church … when yet (oft times) their hearts tell them these poore despised ones will be better then themselves one day, for grace shall have the upper hand of all excellencies.
The Church is fa…re and fairest, That all other excellencies save grace are but painted exc…llencies.Grace is a transcendent good, all the excellency of civility and morallity is nothing to this, this denominates the Church the fairest, shee is not guilt, but pure gold, not painted, but hath at…ue naturall complection, all other excellencies are but guilt, painted excellencies. The whore of Babylon shee is wonderous faire. But wherein doth her beauty consist … In ornaments and ceremonies to abuse silly people, that goe no further then fancy, it is an excellency that comes not to the judgement, but the excellencie of the Church is otherwise, she is The fairest among woemen, she hath a naturall fairenesse, as gold is pure gold, so the Church is of a pure composition, glorious within. It is for the …alse whorish Church to be glorious without only, but the true Church is glorious within. But that which wee should especially observe is,Observ. That wee should labour to answer this commendation, not onelyonly to be faire but the fairest, to be transcendently singularly good, to doe somewhat more then others can, to have somewhat more in us then others have.
For it is answerable to the state of a Christian,That this strife for eminency in Grace is sutable to a Christians calling. is a Christian in an excellent ranke above other men… l…t him shew it by a carriage more gracious, more fruitfull and plentifull in good workes. There is a kinde of excellency affected in other things, much more should we de…i…e to be excellent in that is good, that we may not be faire onelyonly but the fa…rest. This the Apostle S. Paul excellently presseth to Titus his s…holler, Tit. 2. 14. and to all of us in other places, that we should be, A peculiar people Zealous of good workes: not onelyonly to doe them, but to be zealous of them, and to goe before others in them, standing as stander bearers.That it is a …inf…ll …uggish feare to …eare t… be religious. Therefore those that thinke they may goe too farre in Religion, that they may be too fruitfull, are not worthy the name of the spouse of Christ, for she is faire, yea the fairest among woemen: The righteous is more excellen… then his …, therefore we should excell in good workes (as the Apostle exhorts us) to labour after things that are excellent, 1 Cor. 12. 31.as if he should say, Is there any thing better then other,…. Pet. 1. 8. labour for that. You have some so farre from this disposition, that they cry downe the excellencies of others, least the fairenesse of others might discover their blackenesse. Thus we leave the Compellat…on and come to the Question.
What is thy Beloved more then another Beloved?Quest. and they double it, what is thy Beloved more then another Beloved that thou so chargest us?
Questions are of divers natures, we shall not stand upon them, this is not a Question meerely of ignorance (for they had some knowledge of Christ, though weake) Nor was it a curious nor a catching Question, like those of the Scribes and Pharisees unto Christ, to instance in that of Pilate,Joh. 18. 38. What is truth? when Christ had told him the truth, What is truth, (saith he) in a scornfull prophane manner, as indeed prophane spirits cannot heare savoury words, but they turne them off with scorne, what is truth…. This here in the text is not such, but a Question tending to further resolution and satisfaction, What is thy Beloved more then another Beloved?
First of all observe, that these of the Church here were stirred up by the examples of other members of the Church to be in quisitive after Christ, so to be satisfied, Hence observe, That there is a wondrous force in the examples of Christians to stir up one another. Observ.We see here when the Church was sicke of love, the other part of the members began to thinke, what is the reason the Church is so earnest to seeke after Christ, there is some excellency sure in him; for, wise men doe not use great motions in little matters, great things are carried with great moovings; we use not to stirre up tragedies for trifles, to make mountaines of molehills, the indeavours and carriages of great persons that be wise, judicious and holy are answerable to the nature of things. And indeed the Church judgeth aright in this, then see the force of good example, any man that hath his wits about him, when he sees others serious, earnest and carefull about a thing whereof for the present he can see no reason (especially if they have parts equall, or superior to himselfe) will reason thus presently.
What is the matter that such a one is so earnest,A reasoning up…on others earnestnesse. so carefull, watchfull laborious inquisitive? It is not for want of wit, surely hee hath parts enough, hee understands himselfe well. And then he begins to thinke, sure I am too cold, hereupon comes competition, and corrivalitie: surely I will bee as good as hee.
Let us labour therefore to be exemplary to others,Vse. and to expresse the graces of God;To be exemplary for good to others. for thus we shall doe more then we are aware, there is a secret influence in good example, though a man say nothing (saith one) there is a way to profit from a good man though he hold his peace, his course of life speakes lowd enough, we owe this to all, even to them that are without to doe them so much good as to give them a good example,A deb… to … that are without. and we wrong them when we doe not, and hinder their comming on by an evill, or a dead example.
Let this be one motive to stirre us up to it,That answerable to the good we shall doe to others, shall b… our com…ort i… life and death. that answerable to the good we shall doe in this kind, shall be our comfort in l…fe and death, and our reward after death. For the more spreading our good is either in word, life, or conversation, the more our consciences shall be setled in the consideration of good life well spent, our reward shall be answerable to our communication and diffusion of good, and whereas otherwise it will lie heavy on the conscience, not onelyonly in this life, but at the day of judgement and after; when wee shall thinke not onelyonly of the personall ill that we stand guilty of, but exemplarie ill also.
It should moove those therefore of inferiour sort to looke to all good examples, That wee shal… not only answe… for our knowledge, but also for all the good examples and helps we have bad and neglected.as the Church here to the love of the other part of the Church. Wherefore are examples among us, but that we should follow them … we shall not onelyonly be answerable for abuse of knowledge, but also of good examples we have had and neglected. Doth God kindle lights for us and shall not we walke by their light … It is a sinne not to consider the Sunn…, the Moone, the Starrs, the Heav…ns, and Works of Nature and Providence; much more not to consider the Worke… of Grace. But one place of Scripture shall close up all: which is, Rom. 11. 11. That the example of us Gentiles at length shall stirre up and provoke the Jewes to beleeve. To those stiffe necked Jewes example shall be so forcible, that it shall prevaile with them to beleeve and to be converted. If example be of such force as to convert the Jewes that are so farre off, how much more is it or should it be to convert Christians,Simile. wondrous is the force of good example. So we come to the Question it selfe.
What is thy Beloved more then another Beloved, &c.
We see there is excellent use of holy conference, the Church comming to the daughters of Ierusalem, speaking of Christ her Beloved that she is sicke of love, &c. The daughters of Ierusalem are inquisitive to know Christ more and more, heere is the benefit of holy conference and good speeches, one thing drawes on another, and that drawes on another, till at length the soule be warmed and kindled with the consideration and meditation of heavenly things. That that is little in the beginning may bring forth great matters.That in de…ling and speaking of Heavenly things, a little thing is the beginning of great matters. This Question to the Church, and talking with her: I charge you if you finde my Beloved to tell him that I am sicke of love, breeds Q…estions in others: What is thy Bel…ved, &c. Whence upon the description of her Beloved, her heart is kindled, she findeth her Beloved, so that talking of holy and heavenly things is good for others and our selves also.That holy conference is good for others and our selves. It is good for others, as it was good for the daughters of Ierusalem here, for therupon they are stirred up to be inquisitive after Christ, and it was good for the Church her selfe, for, hereupon she tooke occasion to make a large commendation of Christ; wherein she found much comfort.
Good conference then is good for our selves, for, we see a little seed brings for that length a great tree, a little fire kindleth much fuell, and great things many times rise out of small despised beginnings. It was a little occasion which Naaman the Assyrian had to effect his conversion.2 King 5. There was a poore banished woeman, a stranger, who was a Jewish maid servant, she tould her Lords servants that there was a Prophet in Jurie that could heale him: whereupon he came thither, and was converted and healed. And Paul sheweth,Philip. 1. that the very report of his bonds did a great deale of good in Caesars house. Report and fame is a little matter, but little matters make way for the greater.
This may put us in mind to spend our time fruitfully in good conference, Exhortation to fruitfull conference.when in discretion it is seasonable: we know not when we beginne, where we may make an end…; our soules may be carried up to Heaven before we are aware; for the Spirit will inlarge it selfe from one thing to another.Math. 23. To him that hath shall be given more and more still. God gratiously seconds good beginnings. We see the poore Disciples, when they were in a dampe for the losse of Christ, after he comes, meets them, and talks of holy things,Luk. 24. 32. In that very conference their hearts were warmed and kindled. For, next to Heaven it selfe our meeting together here, it is a kinde of Paradice, the greatest pleasure in the world is to meet with those here, whom we shall ever live with in Heaven. Those who are good should not spend such opportuni…ies fruitlesly.
And to this end, labour for the graces of the Communion of Sain…s: That graces suiting the communion of Saintes is a great helpe to conference.for there is such a state, we beleeve it as an Article of our Creed, how shall we approove our selves to be such as have interest unto the communion of Saints, unles we have spirits able to communicate good to others? pittifull and loving spirits that we may speake a word in due season.
What a world of precious time is spent in idle conversing, as if the time were a burthen, and no improovement to be made of the good parts of others? sometimes though we know that which we aske of others, as well as they doe; yet notwithstanding good speeches will draw us to know it better, by giving occasion to speake more of it, wherewith the Spirit works more effectually and imprints it deeper. So that it shall be a more rooted knowledge then before. For that doth good that is graciously knowne, and that is graciously knowne that the Spirit seales upon our soules. Perhaps the knowledge I have is not yet sealed sufficiently, it is not rooted by conference, though I heare the same things againe, yet I may heare them in a fresh manner, and so I may have it sealed deeper then before, experience finds these things to be true.
Againe, Wee should labour heere to have our hearts inquisitive. That Christians should be inquisitive.The Heathen man accounted it a grace in his Scholler and a signe that hee would proove hopefull, because hee was full of Questions: Christians should be inquisitive of the waies of Righteousnesse; Inquifitive of the right path which leads to Heaven, how to carry themselves in private in their families, how in all estates, Inquisitive of the excellency of Christ: What is thy Beloved more then another Beloved? Questions end usually in resolutions; for the soule will not rest but in satisfaction. Rest is the happinesse of the soule as it were: when a Question is mooved it will not be quiet till it have satisfaction. Therefore doubting at the first, breeds resolution at the last. It is good therefore to raise Questions of the practise of all necessary points, and to improove the good parts and guifts of others that wee converse with, to give satisfaction. What an excellent improovement is this of communion and Company, when nothing troubles our spirit, but wee may have satisfaction from others upon our proposing it. Perhaps God hath laide up in the parts of others satisfaction to our soules, and hath so determined that wee shall be perplexed and vexed with scruples, till wee have recourse to some whom hee hath appointed to bee helpefull to us in this kinde. Many goe mourning a great part of their daies in a kind of fullennesse this way, because that they doe not open their estate to others. You see here the contrary practise of the Church, she doubles the Question; What is thy Beloved more then another Beloved, O thou fairest among woemen, what is thy Beloved more then another Beloved, that thou dost so charge us?
The end of the thirteenth Sermon.