The Lambs Spouse, Section 1
OVr Sauiour Christ the onelyonly head & Br…de-groome of the Church, hauing in the former part of this allegorie, vnderunder the metaphoricall & borrowed termes of Wise Virgins, that were inwardly called, furnished with sauing faith and godlinesse, and watchfully expected his comming: and vnderunder the appellation of Fool…sh virgins, that were hypocrites and temporizers, called onelyonly outwardly, and contenting themselues with the outward profession and blaze of faith and godlinesse, the pith and substance whereof they wanted, described and depainted vntounto vsus the estate and condition of the visible Church, (wherein amongst the beleeuers are intermingled hypocrits, and onelyonly seeming Christians) he doth in this tenth verse set downe their contrary euents and iudgements: for the Wise Virgins, the sincere and vndissembling Christians went with Christ to the wedding, that is, they were receiued into heaven, & vntounto the immediate fellowship & presence of Christ, but the foolish virgins, voide and destitute of iustifying faith and inward holinesse, were shut out, that is, debarred from entring into the kingdome of heauen, and consequently adiudged and cast into hell. Wherevpon our Sauiour exhorteth all men to watch, and carefully to waite for his comming to iudgement: least being vnready at his comming, they be shut out from the heauenly marriage: vntounto which dutie they are so much more to attend, because that they know not the day, nor the houre wherein hee will come; Thus much of the dependance and order of the text.
Now according to the difference and diuersity of persons, viz. the wise virgins, and the foolish, their diuers and different euents and iudgements, are to be obserued and handled.
In the wise virgins, three heads or points are to be considered First their contract with Christ (in these words) wise virgins. Secondly, their readinesse and fitnesse therevnto in these termes, they that were ready. Lastly, the consummation of the marriage in these words, Went with him to the wedding. Of all these points I will speake in order, and afterwards (God assisting) proceed to propound and handle the most different estate & iudgment of the foolish virgins. In the cōtract diuers points are contained. As first, that there is such a contract betwixt Christ and his Church. Secondly, the forme & nature of it. Thirdly the benefits & prerogatiues of it: lastly the vses of the doctrin.
Touching the contract, that there is such a contract betweene Christ and the Church, it is plaine and demonstrable by sundry places of Scripture. The Lord by the ministery of Esaias the Prophet, whom he sent vntounto Ezechies to comfort him and his people against the blasphemies and threatning speeches of railing Rabsaketh, the seruant of the King of Assur thus stileth and saluteth the Church. This is the word that the Lord hath against him. The virgin, the daughter of Syon hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorne; the daughter of Ierusalem hath shaken her head at thee, Isay. 57. 22. The Church is distinguished and adorned with the title of Virgin. Because shee was consecrated and espoused to God alone, and his true worship; as a virgin to her onelyonly bridegroome or husband. Likewise Psal. 45. 10. Hearken O daughter and consider & incline thine eare, &c. So shall the King hauehave pleasure in thy beauty for hee is thy Lord and worship thou him. Heere Solomon representeth Christ, and King Pharaoes daughter that was married to him, the Church of the Gentiles espoused and affianced to Christ. Thirdly the Lord by Hosea speaketh; I will marry thee vntounto me for euer, I will marry thee vntounto mee in faithfulnesse. Hos. 2. 19. 20. In the Canticl…s, the Church by force of this contract maketh claime to Christ, saying; My beloued is mine, and I am his, &c. Cant. 2. 16. Paul shewing his vnfeigned affection to the Corinthians, who in part (missed by false Apostles) began without cause to distaste him, maketh this protestation. I am iealous ouer you with a godly iealousie, for I hauehave prepared you for one husband to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 2. Cor. 11. 2. In the Apocalyps the Church is called Virgins that are not defiled with women, Apoc. 14. 4. and the Lambes Wife or Brid…. Chap. 19. 7. and Chap. 21. 2▪ All these places euince and demo…strate a spirituall coniunction and contract betweene Christ and the elect. Lastly, not to dwell long vponupon authorities, Saint Iohn most notably & manifestly in the allegorie of the Vine and the branches, Iohn. 15. 1. 2. 3. 4. shadoweth and setteth out vntounto vsus, the nature of the coniunction, for as the Vine doth yeeld and communicate life and nourishment to the branches, and the branches receiue and partake it from the Vine: so Christ the noble Vine, that hath life in himselfe, and of himselfe, and that is full of grace and truth, doth infuse and communicate spirituall life, comfort and grace vntounto his seuerall members; and the Church being ingrafted into him, draweth and receiueth the same from him by the hand and instrument of faith.
Whereas therefore the true Church of God, consisting aswell of marryed persons as vnmarried, yea for the greatest part in all times and ages of those that bee marryed; thus the holye scriptures, and experience and practise of all pure and holye Churches doe testifie; is in respect of their sound faith onelyonly, and firme hope in Christ, and sincere louelove; stiled by the name of Virgins: it serueth to check and condemne the error of the Church of Rome, who from these and like places of Scripture taketh occasion, and would needs prooue, that virginitie and single life, is a state in it selfe farre more holy and acceptable before God thē mariage, yea that it is meritorious and a type of the perfection of eternall life▪ and here-vponupon they forbid their Bishoppes, Ptiests, Deacons, Monkes, Iesuits, &c. to marry, tollerating notwithstanding and allowing the Stewes, concubines, hatlots, and all manner of vncleannesse. They vrge and commend Virginity, with as much conscience and equity, as the theefe doth truth, the drunken man sobriety, and the glutton abstinence. For it is notoriously knowne to the world, not onelyonly what vnchaste hearts they carry, and in what lusts they burne; but how filthily they liue, that amongst the rest would be accounted the most holy & exquisite.
But briefly to refute their error, wee thus prooue, that virginity is not a state more holy in it selfe before God then marriage, much lesse meritorious. First God in the old Testament, and Christ in the New, allowed and permitted marriage to Priests, Prophets, Patria…kes, Apostles, Euangelists and Ministers▪ aswell as any others. If there had beene any vnholinesse in their marriage, or virginity estate for them, so incomparably better or more necessary, God in his wisedome would hauehave otherwise ordered it. Secondly, marriage is honorable in all men, it hath his chastity, it is for the comfort of man, the medicine of incontinence, the meane to preserue the world, and the seminary of the faithfull, therefore in it selfe not inferiour to a single life.
Thirdly, if single life were so holy and meritorious a state before GOD, as they would make it, then all vnmarried persons should be so. But the examples of Absolon, Adoniah, & Iudas, &c. euince the contrarye. Secondly, it should bee without the least taint of concupiscence. Thirdly, the Scriptures would auerre and auouch it. Fourthly, albeit virginity and single life in times of generall persecution be more to be wished, and more conuenient then marriage; yet then Paul rather wisheth that all men in respect of the time present were such, then commandeth and inioyneth them. 1. Cor. 7. 7. For he leauerh them to their liberties▪ And this occurrence of affliction and trouble, seemeth to bee a principall cause why Bishops & Ministers so sparingly were married in the Primitiue church, for some 200 yeares after the Apostles decease. Lastly, I conclude with Saint Augustine; Melius est humile coniugium, quàm superba virginitas.
Secondly, in that the true Church is called by the name of Virgin, 2. Obser.in respect of her sound faith, and pure affection to Christ: wee are first admonished hereby to beware of, and to shunne, as the very plague or poison of our soules, the dangerous and damnable errous and heresies of al Papists, Turkes Anabaptists, Schismatikes, P… gans &…. For these like a gangrene & cankar eate into & corrupt our soules, they put out the light of our vnderstanding and wound the vitall parts of spirituall life. Mathew 6. 23. 2. Pet. 2. vers. 2. 3. Apoc. 13. verse 7. and 8. 2. Thessa 2. vers. 9 and 10.
Secondly wee must entirely and vnfainedly louelove Christ. Ioh 21. Hee must be our louelove as Ignatius saith foreign, that is that Christ his louelove was crucified: he alone must hauehave our hearts. Pro. 23. ver. 26.
We must account al things but losse and dung in comparison of gayning him Phil. 3. 8. Hee is the pretious margarite or pearle, wee must sell all that we hauehave to purchase it. Mat. 13. 46. Finally our louelove or affection to Christ, his word and Sacraments must bee so feruent, so fi…y and so vehement that no water should quench it, nor the floudes drowne it, and we should greatly contemne al substāce in respect of it. Cant. 8, 6, 7.
This meeteth with those that hauehave a forme and shew of godlines;Vse. yet they would serue God and Mammon, two cōtrary maisters if they be worldlings, or if they be licentious, they are foreign. 1. louers of pleasures more then God. Wherfore let vsus auoide all hipocrisie and louelove Christ sincerely, for as Christ himselfe is simple & sincere in his nature, and in his promises, louelove and workes, towards vsus, so let vsus labor in some good conformity to behaue and carry our selues to him.
And thus much touching the first branch viz. that there is such a contract and of the vses of it.
2. The second point to be considered in this spiritual cōtract or vnion, is the definition, nature and forme of it.
This contract therfore is that mistical & spiritual, yet real & substantial vnion & coniunction between Christ and the Church, whereby they are made one flesh, and by special compact & consent hauehave right & interest one in another, yea & abide and dwel one in an other.
In the clearing and manifestation hereof▪ three particulars are to bee handled, first that this coniunction is onelyonly spirituall, not naturall, or carnall. Secondly, that it is reall and substantiall, and lastly the order and manner of it is to be touched.
It is mysticall and spirituall, first because the persons betweene whom it is made, viz. Christ (as man) and the Church militant, are farre distant in place, and therefore it cannot bee any naturall or carnall coniunction.
Secondly, because the meanes and manner of working it are spirituall, it needs must be spirituall also. Now it is wrought & effected not by nerues, bonds, …inews, as this naturall coniunction betweene the body and the soule is caused, but by the spirit of Christ, which he sendeth from heauen into vsus; and by our faith, stirred vp by his spirit, whereby we send it vp againe to him: so that this coniunction must needs bee as spirituall, so relatiue and mutuall. First therefore that Christ sendeth his spirit into vsus, and that the same spirit that dwelleth in his manhood, and filleth it with all graces aboue measure, is deriued thence and dwelleth in all the true members, raising vp and working in vsus faith and strength whereby we apprehend him▪ louelove whereby wee affect him, and all other graces needfull for eueryevery mans saluation, it is pregnantly prooued by these places of scripture following▪ and the like. Hee giueth vsus of his spirit and hereby wee know that he dwelleth in vsus and we in him, Iohn 4. 14. God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into our hearts which crieth Abba father Gal. 46. Lastly the church is the habitation of God. Eph. 2. 22. and the temple of God. 1. Cor. 6. 19. Secondly our faith ascendeth vp to Christ. Acts. 7. 56. doth incorporate vsus into him. Ephes. 3. 12. 17. and hereby wee both liue and dwell in him, Galath. 2. 20. But this our faith is spirituall and inuisible, for wee walke by faith and not by sight, 2. Cor. 5. 6. And faith is the ground of things that are hoped for, and the euidence of things which are not seene. Heb. 11. 1. 2.
Obiect. But some perhaps will obiect, that wee feed vponupon Christ in the Sacrament, we indeed eate his flesh & drinke his bloud. Iohn. 6. 55. 56. Ergo our vnion is not spirituall. &c.
Ans. Albeit, wee really, corporally and substantially receiue, partake of, and eare the elements and outward signes, namely the bread & the wine, according to Christs institution in memory and representation of his body broken and his bloud shed, and yet wee receiue and feede vponupon Christ by faith. For not eueryevery one that eateth the bread and drinketh the wine in the Lords supper doth feede vponupon Christ, but onelyonly the true beleeuers; who feed of him both in the Sacramēt and also out the Sacrament as may appeare. Ioh. 6. 17. 51.
Secondly as the Fathers in the time of the Law did all eate the same spiritual meate (that we do) and drinke the same spirituall drinke, but they did it onelyonly by faith, which apprehendeth things to come as present, (for Christ was not then incarnate, much lesse was he dead,) euen so we receiue and partake of Christ, that is spiritually by faith and not carnally and substantiallye, as the Papists imagine. 1. Cor. 10. 3. 4.
Thirdly Christ is now in heauen & there contayned,Ioh, 6. 26. and his body there glorified, therfore cannot he be eaten carnally, corporally, substantially, for hee is many millions of miles distant hence. Secondly His body is impassible & not subiect to any such indignities. Thirdly then Iudas and all reprobate and wicked men who receiue the Sacrament of Christs body and bloud, should bee saued, for they that eate of the bread of life liue for euer. Ioh. 5. 57. They that eate his flesh & drinke his bloud dwell in him & he in them. vers. 56. But they doe not feede vponupon the bodie and bloud of Christ because they want the mouth and stomack of faith, to receiue and digest it. Iohn. 6. 63.
Lastly, the elements of bread and wine retaine both their names and natures, euen after the words of consecration, as is perspicuous and euident by the Scripture. 1. Cor. 1. 26. 27. 28. 29. And herevnto accord the ancient Fathers, as Augustine, Theodoret, Tertullian, Cyprian, Chrysostome, yea and some of later times among the Papists, as Gela…ius and Bertram.
Ergo. Christ is not there bodily present, neither is the bread and wine conuerted substantially and really into his body and bloud, therefore as the absurd doctrine of transubstantiation is an inuention of later times, and here ouerthrowne: so must it needs also follow that our coniunction with him in this mortalitie must needs bee altother spirituall.
The second thing to be considered in the diffinition, is, that albeit this contract and vnion is not feigned, supposed, imagined, or by touching and commixion: yet it is a true, a reall and a substantiall vnion, for wee are substantially vnited to him; our body, to his body, our soule to his soule, and our whole person to his whole person, so that we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones. Eph. 5. 30.
And as Adams whole person was really and substantially coupled with the whole person of Eue. So is it betwixt Christ and the Church. He is the head and we the members, hee is the husband, and we the wife.
Now in that this contract and vnion is reall and substantiall,Obs. it is also indissoluble and eternall. For first the Lord saith by Hosea (as I hauehave before mentioned,) I will marry thee vntounto mee for euer. Secondly Christ his power is infinite, and none can take any out of his hands, Iohn. 10. 28. Thirdly, his louelove is constant, whom hee loueth hee loueth to the end. Iohn 13. 3. Fourthly the sauing graces of his spirit, the proper endowments of his elect, are without repentance and irreuocable. Rom. 11. 29.
Fiftly Christ is an effectual and continuall mediator vntounto God his Heauenly Father for them. Luke. 22. 32. Heb. 7. 25.
Lastly if any true and liuely member of Christs body should bee lost, then either Christ should want either power, louelove, or wisdome, to preserue and saue it, but hee wanteth none of them: or els his body should be maymed and vnperfect, which can neuer bee, for it is his fulnesse. Ephesians. 1. 23. and hee will in the life to come make it vntounto himselfe a glorious Church Without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Eph. 5. 27.
Vse. Therefore let eueryevery man trie by the touch-stone of Gods word, whether he feele the spirit of God in lightning and renuing him, and faith purging his heart, and firmely apprehending and applying Christ withall his benefits vntounto himselfe, if hee finde himselfe in this estate let him thanke GOD and by the continuall and serious vse of the worde, Sacraments, prayer and practise of good workes, maintaine and confirme it, for doubtlesse hee is a true member of IESVS CHRIST, ingrafted into him, and shall thus continue for euer. For these are not the workes of flesh and bloud, and meere Nature, but of the Spirit of GOD and grace.
The third thing in the deffinition to be explained is the Order of the vnion, touching which wee are to note that the Church is first vnited vntounto the body and flesh of CHRIST. Secondly to his soule, and lastly to his God-head, and so to his whole person: and therefore the Scriptures commonly speake of first, & propound Christs humanity vntounto vsus and afterward his deity. Rom. 1. verse 3. and 4. Chap. 9. ver. 5. and 6.
The reason herof is, because we cannot bee vnited vntounto his deity but by his flesh, wherin hee wrought our redemption, for the humane Nature of Christ is as it were a doore to let vsus into the communion of his deitie, and the conduict pipe of deity to conuey and deriue it vntounto vsus. And as in the sacraments, the true-beleeuers doe by the outward signes and symboles as by instruments receiue the thing signified viz, Christ and his merits: so they also by the meanes of his humanity, are made partakers of his God-head, and so are vnited vntounto him.
The third thing to be considered in this: contract, is the rare and royall benefits and prerogatiues, that hereby flowe and redound vntounto vsus. First wee hauehave from Christ, and from his merits and sufferings, the foundation and beginning of our new birth and being: he is the roote, and wee are the plants, he the Vine and wee the branches: of his fulnesse we all receiue grace for grace: finally, we are in him, who is made vntounto vsus of God, wisedome and righteousnesse, sanctification and redemption, Ioh. 15. 2. Iohn. 1. 16. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Ier. 2…. 5. 6.
Secondly, we being contracted vntounto Christ our head and husband, are interessed in and partakers of all his royalties and benefits so far forth as may be, (the proportion and difference beweene the husband and the wife beting retained) for from the fountaine of his God-head and conduit of his humanity, are deriued vntounto us, his righteousnes; santification, triumph, glory. From Christ wee hauehave, redemption through his blood, euen remission of our sinnes according to his rich grace, by his sufferings we are …reed and deliuered from the guilt of our sinnes and the feare of condemnation, & by his obedie…ce to the Law imputed to vsus we are accepted as iust before God and fit for eternall life. 2. Cor. 5. 19. 21. Apoc. 12. 1, Now what an vnspeakable benefit is remission of sinnes, which sinne draweth vponupon vsus all temporall and eternall plagues & can be by noe other meanes obtained then by our coniunction with him Psal. 32. 1. 2.
Thirdly communicating with Christ in the vnion of nature, we also (in some proportion and similitude are partakers of his propheticall, priestly, and Kingly Office. We are made prophets to confesse him and to teach and comfort others, Priests to mortyfie sinne, to suffer for Christ, to offer sacrifices of praise & thankesgiuing vntounto him, and to consecrate our selues, soules and bodies wholy vntounto him. Rom 8. 39. Apo. 1. 6. 1. Peter. 1. 9. Wee are Kings to fight against the world, the flesh, and the Deuill, and by faith in him to ouercome them. 1. Iohn. 4. 5. And here wee receiue that right in whole, and dominion in part which we wholy lost in Adam. Math. 19. 28. 1. Cor. 6. 2. 1. Tim. 4. 4. 5.
Fourthly all Plagues, Aduersities, Crosses, Punishments, are made but only temporary and fatherly corrections vntounto vsus, tending to our correction, and not our destruction, and they are medicines to cure our infirmities and not meanes to increase our miseries. Heb. 12. 6. 10. 11. Pro. 3. 11. Apoc. 3. 19.
Fiftly wee hauehave all the Angells of GOD in this life for our good to attend vponupon vsus and to defend vsus. Heb. 1. 14. 2. Kings. 6. 16. 17. Psal. 34 7. And in the life to come, especially by reason of this neere and admirable coniunction with Christ our head and husband, and because we are made kings to rule with him, we are & shalbe superior to the Angels, for there is no such coniunction betwixt his nature and theirs as betweene his and ours, neither shall they raigne as Kings with him in the life to come as the Saints shall; Apoca. 2 verse. 26. and Chap. 3. verse. 21.
Sixtly Satan cannot indite and condemne vsus, for as no man can sue the wife in the lawe, the husband liuing and not giuing his consent▪ Soe CHRIST our husband liuing and alwaies iustifying vsus, who shall condemne vsus? Romans 8. 33. 34. or who shall seperate vsus from his louelove? verse. 35.
Lastly when the husband, especially being a mighty Monarch is highly offended, the wife may and hath free accesse vntounto him when none other can or may hauehave the like liberty; So may and hath the true Church free acces…e vntounto Christ by praier when the wicked are debarred from him, and cannot or dare not approch neere to him.
Thus much of the benefits and priuileges.
Now in the last place follow the manifold vses of this contract and vnion.
1. Vse. First seeing our vnion with Christ is Reall and substantiall and continueth for euer, (for we are made one flesh with him, bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh) Heb. 2. 14. Eph. 5. 30. Ergo he still (albeit he be glorified) reteineth the essentiall parts of a true humaine body, the quality is onelyonly altered, but the substance and dimentions remaine, for otherwise we could hauehave no fellowshippe with him, and so the foundation of all our comfort should be rased and ruinated. And therefore here is condemned the absurd and grosse errour of them that defie Christs humanity by making it infinite, omnipotent & knowing al things, and ours only finite and circumscribed in power place and knowledge, whereas betweene that which is finite, and that which is infinite there can be no such vnion and substantiall coniunction.
Secondly we must labour & endeuor alwaies to continue in this vnion and communion with Christ, and not departe an haires breadth from him; for remayning and abiding in Christ wee finde all comfort, refreshment and peace; and being out of him we runne head-long into all euill; for euen the Godly themselues, being out of it, and the efficacy of it but alittle, feele themselues as it were tormented with a flame of fire. Psalm. 77. 2. 3. Iob. 6. verse. 1. 2. 3.
Wherefore we must beware of and shunne all Idolatry, errour, atheisme, fornication, vncleanesse, drunkenesse, schisme, and all other raigning sinnes whereby we dissolue and cut in sunder this vnion.
Thirdly by reason of this misticall and straite coniunction betwixt Christ and the Church, hee hath a simpathy and feeling of all their wants and miseries, & though now he be exalted to the highest degree of glory in heauen yet doth he in nothing (as worldly men in their exaltation vsually forget & neglect their old & poore friends & acquaintance) remit and abate of his care and compassion towardes his poore and afflicted members in earth, but hee succoureth them in all their extremities, imputeth and rewardeth any good done vntounto them as done to himselfe, and censureth and reuengeth the wrongs and indignities offered them as done to his owne person.
Hence wee learne diuers lessons and duties. First we in all our afflictions and necessities must flee vntounto him and to the throne of grace, in confidence and assurance of faith, and wee shall find rest vntounto our soules and helpe in time of need. Math. 11. 26. Heb. 4. 16. For as Philo said to the Iewes his country men, when he could find no fauour with Caius the Romaine Emperour) Vbi deficit humanum praesidium, ibi necesse est inciperem diuinū auxilium, that is, where mans helpe fayleth, there Gods must needs begin.
Secondly wee must doe all possible good to Gods Saints, wee must comfort his bowells, shew them all kindnesse, and supply their wants, for then are we liuely and feeling members, and Christ will take notice of all the comfort wee yeeld them, and reward and regard it both in this life & in the life to come, bee the offices of charity neuer so meane so they be vnfained, Mat. 25. 35. 36. 40. Luk. 21. 34
Thirdly me must take heed that we neuer grieue, wrong, vexe, and persecute Gods deere seruants and saints; for then wee doe but fight against God, kick against the pricks, touch the apple of GODS owne eye. Zacha. 2. 8. grieue hi: spirit, and procure to our selues many Iudgments, and if we are and continue in the number of open & professed enemies we besides temporall plagues most iustly, draw vponupon our selues eternall vengeance.
The last vse is, that being ioynd and united to Christ the fountaine of all good workes, we wust contend and endeuour to conforme our selues to his example and bring forth timely and plentifull fruits of piety, charity, and iustice. Phil. 1. 11. Tit. 2. 14 Psal. 13.