PLATO Philosophizing vpon the grace of GOD Because he was an heathen Phi­losopher. ac­cording as hee was able, gaue thankes vnto him for three thinges; First, that GOD had created him a Man and not a Beast; se­condly, that hee was borne a Grecian and not a Barba­rian. Thirdly, that not only so but a Philosopher also. But wee that are instructed at a better schoole, doe [Page 2] otherwayes destribute our thanksgiving, and praise him for three things also. First, that amongst all his creatures hee hath made vs men, created in a most glorious manner, Omnino ad imaginem suam, alto­gether after his owne Image. Secondly that from a­mong all sorts of men, he hath made vs Christians. Thirdly, that amongst those, that beare the name of Christians, hee hath made vs onely faithfull ones; elected and adopted vs in his owne Sonne before the foundation of the world, 2. Tim. 1.9. and made vs like a few well sighted among a throng of blind men, like the por­tion of IACOB in Aegipt, Exod. 10.22. onelie enlightened in the middest of that darkenesse which couered all the Countrie, Iudg. 6.38. like the fleece of Gideon, onelie watered with the dewe of his grace, whilest all the rest of the earth is drie and destitute of his fauour.

When I call to memory the vnspeakeable loue of GOD, and his fatherly care in the conduct and con­seruation of his Church, it is a whole web of won­ders. Gen 4.11. How he hath reuenged the blood of ABELL, how he hath serued for a pilot and steersman to his Church inclosed within the arke; Gen. 7. how for the loue of ABRAHAM and ISAACK he hath striken and curbed Kings, Gen. 12.17. how he hath prepared lodging for his people in Aegipt, Gen. 48.11. how he hath drawne them from thence with a mighty hand and outstretched arme hauing caried his people out of captiuitie as vpon Eagles winges, Exod 14.28. how he hath giuen them his law, Exod. 20. fed them with bread from heauen, Exod. 16.15. couered them in the day time, giuen them light in the night, and driuen out Nations be­fore them, how he hath chastized them, to keepe them vnder subjection in prosperitie, and how his chastise­ments [Page 3] haue euer beene interlaced with deliuerances, least they should haue beene ouerwhelmed with too great adversitie: The historie of the Iudges, of DA­VID and his successors, the deliuerance from Babilon, and the re-establishment of Ierusalem. Is not this a whole chaine of GODS mercies, and loue towards his Church linked together already: and yet to make it not onely more weightie, but weight it selfe, hee joyneth this linke vnto it, I will marrie thee to me for euer, yea, I will marrie thee vnto me. And this last linke is that which I intend to bestow vpon you this morning for a New yeeres gift.

It is an ancient custome among friends vpon New yeeres day mutually to giue and to receiue gifts as for­tunate pledges of a hopefull yeere, saith a Poet: Buchan▪ which commonly are of siluer, gold, and of precious stones.

But as Saint Peter, Acts. 3.6. said of old to the Creeple, that lay at the gate of the Temple called beautifull, siluer and gold haue I none to giue vnto you; Act. [...].6. so say I now vnto you, for I will bestow no such ware vpon you, those are but drosse and earth, and of a rusty and an earthly worth, but such as I haue I will bestow vpon you, a Spirituall gift, most liberally. And if you shall but gratefully receiue it, and lay it vp close in the most inward cabine of your hearts, I dare bee bold to promise that one day it shall be helpfull vnto you, minister vnto you more joy and comfort, then all the siluer, gold, and precious stones which are brought from the Orient. And so I come to the be­stowing of it, I meane to the handling of my text, I [Page 4] will marrie thee to mee for euer, yea, I will marrie thee vnto me.

This text is a promise of comfort, in which you shall take notice of these foure; First, of the subiect, CHRIST; lurking vnder his word, I; secondly, of the object, the Church, sheltred vnder this word, thee. Thirdly, of the thing promised, Marriage; I will marrie thee. Fourthly, of the qualities of this marriage, which are two. First, the certaintie imply­ed in the gemination and doubling of the promise, I will marrie thee; yea, I will marrie thee. Lastly, the perpetuitie of this marriage, for ever; I will marrie thee vnto mee for ever. This Proposition is first pro­pounded, I will marrie thee, and hereafter explained by a twofold distinction; first, not to a base, not to a dishonorable match, but to my selfe, that am Gnamith IEHOVAH, Esay. 9. equall to IEHOVAH * the Father of E­ternitie, who made the earth and spred the heavens like a curtaine, Psal. 104. the eternall Wisedome, the essentiall Word, the second person of the holy Trinitie, GOD euerlastingly blessed. Secondly, not for a day, a moneth, or a yeere, but perpetually, for euer: and so haue you the parts and circumstances of this Propo­sition: neither minde I to handle them seuerally and alone but joyntly and together, because in them joynt­ly is onely contayned that most admirable conjuncti­on, and most strait vnion betweene CHRIST and his Church, which no power in hell nor earth is able to sunder and infringe: neyther is there any way in nature by which two things can bee made one, but from it the Spirit of GOD borroweth similitudes to expresse our conjunction with CHRIST: wee are [Page 5] one with him, as EVAH was with ADAM, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, wee are one with him, as the house and the foundation whereupon it is built; But this vnion is most liuely set forth in these three si­militudes. First, as is the strait conjunction be­tweene the graft and the stock, so is the vnion between CHRIST and his Church. Secondly, as is the neere­nesse of the garment to the body, so is ours with CHRIST. Thirdly, as the straitnesse of the bond is betweene the wife and the husband, such is the straitnesse of our vnion with CHRIST.

But before I explaine the similitudes, it is necessa­ry to vnderstand what is signified by this word, * Church, in my text, The Church hath diuers sig­nifications. to the end that you may know to which Church this promise is made, seeing it is di­uersly taken, and hath sundry significations in the old and new Testament: for [...] the Church, is a Greeke word and properly signifieth an Assembly, which belongeth as well to the Heathen, and to Infi­dels, as to Christians and the children of GOD, ve­rified by DAVID, Psal. 26.6. Psal. 26.6. Odini Ecclesiam malig­nantium, I haue hated the assembly; or, the Church of the wicked: and by the Apostle, Act. 19. Act. 19. That calleth that multitude, which cryed, Great is the DIANA of the Ephesians, Ecclesiam the assembly, or, the Church. But hereafter vse obtayned that Christians called their assembly Ecclesiam, the Church, to Why Christians called there As­semblies the Church. distinguish it from the Synagogue of the Iewes, albeit that both [...] and [...] signifieth one thing, an Assem­bly, or a Congregation, a meeting or a gathering to­gether. This word then Ecclesia the Church, being vsurped by Christians is taken by them in the new [Page 6] Testament The Church hath fiue signi­fications among Christians. fiue manner of wayes. First, for the Pa­stors of the Church, the people being excluded, and so it is taken S ^t Math. 18.17. where our Sauiour commands, That if a debate betweene neighbours cannot bee quietly pacified, to tell the Church; that is the Byshops, Prelates, and other Pastors of inferi­our titles that haue superioritie and jurisdiction in the Church. Now it sometime belongs to this Church arguere & increpare, 2. Tim. 4. to improue and re­buke, sometimes, amputare, to cut off, sometimes, lapsos relevare, to raise vp againe such as haue slip­ped or fallen, sometimes, to confirme and corrobe­rate those that stand. In a word, In this Church as in the Arke there must bee both manna and virga, bread for refection, and a rod for correction, osculum and fraenum, a kisse for friends and a bridle for refractarie and stubborne persons. And as in a Vineyard there must be both planting and pruning, so in this Church must there be both Doctrine & Discipline. Doctrine, to inctruct in the points of Faith, to conserue, nou­rish and augment charitie, flowing from the sinceri­tie of the minde, integritie of the conscience, and from a faith voyde of dissimulation and hypocrisie. Discipline, to correct and reforme vices and abuses. Secondly, this word Church is taken for the People, the Pastors being excluded, and so it is taken, Act. 20.28. Where Pastors are exhorted to feed the Church which CHRIST hath purchased with his owne blood. Thirdly, it is taken for a particular Church in which both people and pastors are comprehended, such of old was the Church at Ephesus, at Corinth, at Rome, and such were those seauen Churches whereof wee [Page 7] reade in the 2. and 3. Chapters of the Revelation, But now many of these Churches haue much fallen from that puritie wherein the Apostles and their Disciples did institute them, and some of them altogether made so great a defection and apostasie from the faith, as therein a man explicitly resting on their whole Doctrine cannot bee saued, such to day is the Church at Rome, and such a one hath she beene these many ages past, for in her, Idolatry is maintayned, and the whole Doctrine of the benefit of CHRIST altogether corrupted, if then a man would bee saued, hee must vse our Sauiours counsell, Revel. 18.4. Reuel. 18.4. Goe out of Babylon my people, that yee bee not partakers of her sinnes, and that yee receiue not of her plagues. Fourthly, this word Church is taken for the whole assembly of those that here below vpon the earth are called Christians: and this is the vniuersall visible Church, composed of diuers particular Churches, called by the Apostle in the 1. of Tim. 3.15. 1. Tim. 3.15. The pillar and ground of truth, because it is the dutie thereof to vnderprop and defend the truth against all those that seeke by schismes, heresies, and erronious Doctrines to suppresse and ouerthrow the same. Now this vni­uersall Church subsisteth by a perpetuall generation one succeeding to another, and consisteth of all the conuerted Iewes & Gentiles that are vpon the face of this earth. It is truth that this Church was once, and before CHRIST came in the flesh onely among the Iewes glorious, and the Gentiles then were but dogs or whelpes; In the 15. of Math. 26. Math. 15.26. It is not good to take the childrens bread and to cast it to whelpes. But now God perswaded IAPHETH to dwell in SHEMS [Page 8] tent; Now God is the God of the Gentiles also. Rom. 3.29. Yea which is more, obstinacie is come to Israel, vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles bee come in. Rom. 11.25. And amongst vs God hath a more The Church is more glorious among the Chri­stians then it was among the Iewes. glorious Church then euer hee had amongst the Iewes: for this cause ABRAHAM desired to see our dayes; for this cause S ^t PAVL called Gods old ordinances, beg­gerly rudiments. Gal. 4.9. and reputed of Genealogies as of fables, for this cause the Patriarkes without vs are not said to be perfect, Heb. 11.2. Heb. 11.40. And this made SIMEON for a time to desire, that he might not see death. The Iewish Church had but shadowes and circumstances, but we haue the body and the sub­stance, Ioh. 1.2. The word was made flesh; he walked among his brethren, they saw him, handled him, heard him, beheld his wounders and miracles, Math. 27.24.35. Math. 26.6. saw him condem­ned, crucified, raised, and carried into heauen in a cloud. It was this that made EZECHIELL the Pro­phet say, our Temple should bee bigger, then in the dayes of MOSES, Math. 11.11. that made IOHN the Baptist bee called the greatest of all the Prophets, and yet the least in our Church greater then he: that made S ^t. PAVL. 2. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 3. Call the Law, the ministerie of con­demnation, but the Gospell, the ministration of righteousnes, the Law that which should be abolish­ed, but the Gospell glorious, and that which remai­neth: that vnder the law the Iewes did onely see but thorow a vaile, but we in our Church vnder the Gos­pell, behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with open face. O vnthankfull Gentiles! O ingratefull Christians, and O most ingratefull England of all the Christians in the world, for howsoeuer that [Page 9] other Nations may pretend some excuse, yet surely, O England, thou is vnexcusable, especially these 60. yeares, in which this sunne of the glorious Gospell hath continually without ecclipse shined in thy Ho­rizon, and still doth runne his circular motion, and yet neuerthelesse what is the darknesse in which wee doe not walke? Alas, I meane, what iniquitie doe we not drinke in like water? What is the vanity after the which we doe not seeke? And what is that grace of GOD, which wee turne not into wantonnesse? E­specially (leauing at this time all other things) this glorious Gospell, this spirituall Manna, this heauen­ly food, the plentie whereof produceth nothing but a loathing of the same, except it be most rarely cook'd in, and garnished with humaine conceites to satisfie your daintie appetites, & when it is cooked to you af­ter this manner, which is a sort of Preaching too much vsed in this Land, and deserueth more discommenda­tion, yet are yee contrary to all other creatures vnder the sunne, that grow the fairer, the fatter, and the bet­ter too the more choise diet they feede on; as for ex­ample, when trees are remoued to a more fertile soyle, they will spread further, and be more fertile then be­fore, when cattell are put into a better pasture, they will be of a greater growth and labour better too: But it is not so with vs; No, for after never so learned a sermon, there will be both disliking & liking of it, but this liking tendeth not to retaine the principall parts thereof in our memories and to practise the same in our liues and conuersations. No, No, but onely a li­king that the Preacher did well and that he is a good Scholler, and this is all, and, if it bee so, it is much [Page 10] too. But O Lord I pray thee, that giueth both the will and the deed to thy people, to bestow vpon them new hearts, to renew within their bowels a right spirit, that they may apprehend thy bountifulnesse toward them, and magnifie thy Name for such plen­tifulnesse of thy word sowen amongst them, in re­gard whereof many Nations, like a Forest, stands not put to tillage, and for such light in thy glorious Gospell, in respect whereof, many, yea almost all people are but conducted by the Moone, which I be­seech the O Lord neuer to extinguish, neuer, O Lord to let the Sunne of thy Gospell in this Land set, so long as the Sunne and Moone endure. Fifthly the Church is taken among Christians for the whole bo­dy and assembly of the Elect, and of those that GOD by the way of sanctification hath predestinated to bee the heyres of the Kingdome of glory: and this Church is composed of three sorts of The Church of the Elect com­posed of three sorts of men. people; first, of such as were vpon the earth; but now are not, be­cause their soules and their bodies are sundred; their bodies till the day of judgement are committed to the graue, where they must returne vnto the earth out of which they were taken, but their soules are conjoy­ned with CHRIST in heaven, which one day shall bee reunited againe to their bodies, and magnifie God both in body and soule, and this is called The triumphant Church, because the members thereof haue ouercome by the good fight of Faith, powers, princi­palities, and spirituall wickednesse in this life, and now in that other life, which is much better then this, they tryumph, and haue receiued, albeit not fully, the fruits of their labour, and GOD hath giuen them [Page 11] beautie for ashes, the oyle of ioy for mourning, and the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse. Secondly, this Church of the Elect is composed of men that are vpon earth presently aliue, fighting a­gainst sinne, Sathan, the world and their owne cor­rupt affections, making their Election sure vnto themselues by well doing, but or it bee long shall be no more, and this is the Militant Church, the mem­bers whereof are visible as men, but not as members of this Church, and elect men, because Election is not discerned by the eye but charitably presumed on by faith and good workes which are inseparable com­panions; as the Sunne and light, fire and heate, water and aliquiditie: so that if a man want good workes, wee may boldly say hee hath no faith, but wee dare not affirme for all this, that hee is not a vessell of E­lection, because Election is a thing which God hath reserved to himselfe, yea, it is altogether vnknowne to a man himselfe, it runneth so secretly, vntill the time that by his internall vocation God make it ma­nifest and knowne to him, so that when I see a pro­phane man, a persecuter, an vnfruitfull tree; I may say, and that with reason, that such a one hath no faith, and as yet is not internally called, but that God hath not elected him, and will not call him, it is a damnable presumption, and to diue in the bottom­lesse gulfe of GODS vnrevealed will, and to fall within the compasse of that which our Saviour ex­presly dischargeth, Math. 7.1. Iudge not that yee bee not iudged, for with what iudgement yee iudge yee shall be iudged. Thirdly, this Church of the Elect is composed of such as are not, but shall bee, as are not [Page 12] yet borne; but are in the counsell of GOD registrated and inrolled to bee borne, to fight in his warre in fu­ture time; and ordained to obtaine victorie.

This Church of the elect Foure names giuen to the Church of the elect. hath many names in Scripture, especially foure; First, in the 1. of Pet. the 2. chapter and 9. verse. It is called a Chosen generati­on, and herein is distinguished from all other Chur­ches. Distinguished from all other Churches. First, from the Church of the Heathen and Infidels, which is, generatio malignantium, a Wicked generation.

Secondly, from the Church of the Papists, which is, generatio Antichristianorum, an Antichristian gene­ration, Revel. 17. a great Whore arrayed in purple and scarlet, gilded with gold, precious stones, and pearles: sitting vpon many waters, people, multitudes, Nations, tongues, and seaven Mountaines, which raigneth over the Kings of the earth, giving heed vnto Spirits of errour, tea­ching Doctrines of Devils, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to bee received with giving thankes: drunken with the blood of Saints and with the blood of the Mar­tyrs of IESVS, I meane with the blood of many good Christians as Lyons in France, called Waldenses from IOHN WALDVS, as they call vs Calvinists from CALVIN, whom their King to his immortall infamie and dishonour excited by the Papacie did most cruelly butcher: with the blood of many good Christians massacred vpon S ^t. Baltholmewes day at Paris, whose wounds are yet fresh bleeding in the me­mories of men that liue and saw them, at Tollouse, Orleans, Boitiers, and many more places in France: with the blood of many a hundred thousand butche­red [Page 13] most beastly in west Flanders by the Duke of Alphe, because they would not receiue the marke of the Beast in their foreheads; what shall I say of our Martyrs vnder Q MARIES raigne, or of that Beasts crueltie and insatiable desire of blood that lately heere most furiously in King IAMES his time, intended to haue blowne vp our Parliament house? I can say no­thing, but beleeue that that which S ^t IOHN many yeares agone foretold, is fulfilled, that is, Revel. 18.4. that Baby­lon even that great Citie vpon the seaven Mountaines is become the habitation of Devils, the hold of all foule spirits, a cage of every vncleane and hatefull bird.

Thirdly, this Church of the elect, this Chosen ge­neration, is distinguished from the Church of all o­ther Heretikes and Schismatikes, which is, generatio reproborium, a reprobated generation, of this order are Manicheans, Arrians, Brownists, Familists, and such like, which esteeme none to bee members of the my­sticall Body of CHRIST, except those, that bee of their most wicked and execrable opinions: Puritans I will not deale so rigorously with you, howsoever you are but tares among the wheate, and albeit you hold none to bee professors of the Gospell, but your seditious and Schismatike societie, and therefore cals and termes your selues Professors per [...], not­withstanding that your profession is nothing but lip-labour, renting in the meane season the coate of CHRIST whereupon the barbarous Souldiers did cast lottes, and spared the same, breaking downe the walles of Ierusalem which * TITVS, Ioseph: a heathen Em­perour would haue suffered to stand; drowning that Arke, which the generall Deluge would not drowne, [Page 14] when it drowned all the world, burning that bushe, wherevpon the cruell raging fire had pittie and com­passion, and In a word you endeuour by your igno­rant and malicious Schismes, to demolish that house which is built vpon a rocke against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile; for when any of the faithfull ser­uants of God takes paines for the home bringing of a lost Papist to the true sheepefold and Church of CHRIST, It is the first thing which he obiecteth a­gainst vs, yee are devided amongst your selues, I cannot tell whether I shall imbrace the opinion of your Church, or of your Puritane; and for is the conuersion of sinners stayed by your wofull generation, the kingdome of Sathan propa­gated, the kingdome of CHRIST diminished, and Christian religion exposed both to ludibrie and oppro­brie both to mockerie and to shame: and yet you haue eyes and eares, but will neither see it nor heare it: I thinke the curse of the Gospell is vpon you, and cur­sed be those that preferre not Ierusalem to their chiefe joy: never may they prosper that loue not, that wish not peace within her sacred walls.

Fourthly and lastly, this chosen generation is di­stinguished from the whole visible vniuersall Church here below, which is generatio miscellaneorum a mixed generation, and may bee compared to a net which gathereth both fish and scorpions, to a field in which groweth both wheat and tares, to a garden in which are both weeds and flowers, because in the v­niuersall visible Church et sanctis Ecclesiae locis are both Christ and Antichrist, Pastors and Wolues, truth and lies; Sheepe and goates, good Christians and dissem­bling [Page 15] hypocrites, vessells of election and Children of wrath: and often greater store of the worst then of the best.

Secondly againe this Church of the elect, Heb. 12.32. Heb. 12.32. is called the Congregation of the first borne, whose names are written in heauen, because the names of the elect are written in the booke of life.

Thirdly Ephes. the first and last, Ephes. 1. it is called the bo­die of Christ and by consequence false, hypocriticall and prophane Christians are not members thereof, because such are but dead members which can be no part of the liuely body of IESVS CHRIST.

Fourthly Reuel. 21.9. Revel. 21.9. It is called the Bride and the Lambes wife, because Christ hath married her vnto himselfe in iudgement, in righteousnesse, in wisdome, in mercy, and in compassion. Hos. 2. Hos. 2. And it is to this Church of the elect this chosen generation, this assem­blie, this congregation of the first borne, this body of Christ and to this Bride the Lambes wife, to which this promise of comfort is made. Cant. 4. I will marrie thee vn­to me for euer. This Church is hortus conclusus an in­closed peece of ground as the garden of Eden, and lieth within a hedge or fence. This Church and none other, is the spouse of IESVS CHRIST, to which he hath joyned himselfe in marriage, and which he will make vnto himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle, holy and vnreproueable; and out of this Church their can be no saluation, in which regard saith St. AVSTEN, Qui Ecclesiam non habuit pro matre nunquam Deum habebit pro patre, who had not the Church to his mother shall neuer haue God to be his father, to which I will adde, nec Christum pro capite & [Page] marito, not Christ to be his head and husband; and this made the good Emperour THEODOSIVS to conclude. Malo esse membrum Ecclesiae quam caput Im­per (que). I had rather be a member of the Church then head of the whole Empire. And thus much for this word Church in my text, the significations and names thereof, and to which Church this promise is made I will marry thee vnto me for euer, to the Church of the [...], and so I come to the explanation of the three similitudes by which our vnion with Christ is most richly expressed, the first whereof is the similitude of the roote and the grafts.

Can there be a more straight vnion apprehended? can there bee a more neere coniunction imagined then this betweene the stock and the branches, be­tweene the roote and the grafts? The similitude betweene the graft and the roote. it is not possible, and yet such a one is our vnion with Christ; In the 15. of St. Ioh. the fifth verse, Iohn 15.5. I am the vine yee are the branches. This is a metaphor a borrowed speech from planting, Three things ob­seruable. in which yee shall take notice of these three. First of the roote or stock, Secondly of the grafts or bran­ches, and Thirdly of the manner of ingrafting. As to the first, the roote or stock wherein this ingrafting is made, is CHRIST, called by himselfe the true vine, by the Apostles the true oliue tree, Rom. 11.17. and by the Pro­phets the roote of Iesse. Isa. 11.10. This true vine, this true oliue and this roote of Iesse IESVS CHRIST, hath that great husbandman the eternall God dressed and prepared; in which he hath ingrafted so many of A­dams lost posteritie, as he according to his purpose and pleasure of his will hath decreed to make parta­kers of the kingdome of glory according to the electi­on [Page 17] of grace before the foundation of the world, and therefore in the fulnesse of time sent him into the world, and as it were planted him in the graue, who by and by, Math. 28. within the space of three dayes like a liue­ly root sprang vp, and rested not till his top mounted vp to heauen, and till his branches were spread to the vtmost ends of the earth till the Gospell was preached to the most remote regions vnder the Sunne, euen to the Scythians, Sauromatans, Aethiophians, Persians and Indians, and within a short space after CHRISTS ascention, which may seeme wonderfull, not only the Roman * Empire, Tertull. adver­sus Iudaeos. cap. 7. 8. Sed Brittanorum loca Romanis in accessa Euangelio Christi subdita sunt, but euen those places of Britain, speaking of Scotland, which the Im­periall sword was neuer able to vanquish or subdue, are now vanquished & become subiect vnto the Gos­pell of CHRIST, but this shall yet seeme more won­derfull if we shall but consider those that haue vanqui­shed both the Roman Empire and those, whom the Roman Empire could not conquer, and what sort of men they were, SOPHRONIVS Patriarch of Ierusa­lem tels vs, [...], our fishers saith he, our Publicanes, and that tent ma­ker (speaking of S ^t PAVL) hath constrained all nati­ons, all people [...], to imbrace the Lawes of CHRIST crucified; and yet the man­ner how this was done, how this conquest was made, is most wonderfull of all: for it was done non pugnan­do, not by fighting, sed patiendo, but by suffering, suf­fering of tortures, of chaines, of imprisonings and of death it selfe, and the more their sufferings was, the greater their persecution was, the larger was their [Page 18] victories, for their blood was the seed of the Church and the more abundantly that it was sowne, the Lord did reape the greater haruest of true beleeuers to bee ingraft in him, that is their euerlasting stock, and roote which neuer shall be consumed by time.

Two feets of grafts.The branches or grafts are twofold; externall and internall, as to the first, all the members of the visible Church entred into a profession of Christ externally, baptized with water, but not with the holy Ghost, may be called externall members or grafts; But this kinde of graft will suffer an amputation or cutting off, and will come within the presinke of that, Rom. 11.22. If thou remaine not in his bountifulnesse thou shall also bee cut off, for they haue not the sop of grace ministred vnto them from the stocke of life, but are as dead-trees hauing leaues without fruit, 2. Tim. 3.5. I meane good fruit; they haue fruit indeed, but it is labrusca non vua some sower or hedge grape not good to eate, but no sweet grape. Like that which grew in Baal-hamon, 8. Cant. 11. Howsoeuer it hath a faire shew like gawdie flowers among the corne, yet fitly it may bee compared to Sodoms apples, out­wardly faire, but rotten inwardly, to that which glis­ters like gold but when it is touched is found to bee but copper; but most properly to ESAV who did lye in the bellie with IACOB, borne and brought vp in IZACKS house, which for the time was the Church of God & marked with the same Sacrament of circum­cision too, but, because he proudely dispised grace, was rejected, so shall it stand with all those that shall bee baptized in the true Church, and remaine not in Gods bountifulnesse: neither shall it auaile them [Page 19] any thing that by an externall forme of ingrafting they haue beene joyned to the societie of the visible Church. But by the contrary it shall stand as an evi­dence in that blacke roule and register of a bad con­science against them, and most justly shal it make them to be punished with double stripes because they knew their masters will and did it not.

The internall grafts are of those that beside their externall ingrafting and entering in the visible Church by the Sacrament of Baptisme, are also internally in­grafted by the holy spirit, and the baptisme with fire in this roote IESVS in such a firme manner and con­dition that Christ is in them and they in Christ, they are ingrafted by Gods right hand, grounded in faith, rooted in charitie, watered by the word of Gods ministerie, digged and manured by the discipline of Magistrates, and in euery manner of good worke brings forth a plentifull vintage of good and sweete grapes, which are pressed in a contrite heart, raised vp to a liuely and confident thankefulnes. And as wine is cōmonly knowne by the tast and colour so is this too. For its taste is a good conscience within, & its colour is a holy conuersation without. These grafts may say with the Apostle, Now we liue, yet not we any more, Gal. 2.20. but Christ liueth in vs. They haue in them the same minde that was in IESVS, and this is a faithfull wit­nesse, an vnfallible argument vnto them of their vni­on with Christ, and that they are ingrafted in him, and by the contrary, seeing contraries must bring forth contrary sequels, those that are not ruled & quickned by the spirit of Christ are not ingraft in this roote, neither haue they as yet any vnion or conjunction [Page 20] with him, and so the Apostle Rom. 8.9. Rom. 8.9. tels vs, If any man haue not the spirit of Christ, the same is not his: Not assuredly, for those that are not ruled by this spirit, they cannot chuse but wander and goe astray­ing, walking after the flesh, by which they cannot be absolued from judgement, from Tophet, and adjudg­ed vnto everlasting life, and thus much for the stock and grafts.

And now I come to the manner of ingrafting, which is twofold, A twofold in­grafting. secret and manifest, secret in Gods eternall counsell; for before the foundation of the world was layed and long before that man was crea­ted God knew his owne children, and by inserting their names in the booke of life did eternally and be­fore all time ingraft them in this stocke and roote CHRIST IESVS their redeemer. Secondly it is ma­nifest, and done in time, but spiritually wrought by the holy Ghost who creating faith in our hearts makes vs to goe out of our selues, transire in Christum trans­port our selues into Christ, and so to relye vpon him that by his spirit wee are quickned, by his light wee are illuminated, and by the continuall furniture of his grace we perseuere and increase in spirituall strength and courage, and so liues in him that wee die in our selues, Zach. 4. and to the world. In the 4. of Zachar. As euery lampe of the golden Candlesticke hath its owne pipe thorow which these two Oliues which stand with the ruler of the whole world, Simile. emptie themselues in the gold: so euery member of the Church of CHRIST receiueth grace from that fulnesse of grace which is in him thorow the secret conduits of the spirit, How, and when this ingrafting is manifest. by which hee causeth vs to grow and preserueth our [Page 21] soules in life. Now albeit this ingrafting bee mani­fest, and done in time, yet it is not manifest to eve­ry one, but onely to the graft and branch him­selfe, for to him the spirit of God beareth witnesse with his spirit that hee is the child of GOD, Rom. 8.16. Rom. 8.16. But to none other, howsoeuer that his faith, fructifying in charitie, in loue, and in euery manner of good worke, may make others presume that he is ingraft in this root by the holy Spirit, after which he is, and therefore savoureth the things of the Spirit, Rom. 8.5. Rom. 8.5. And I say, it is done in time, not that all Christians are ingraft, that is, that there ingraf­ting is made manifest vnto them at one certaine time, or in one speciall yeare of there time: No such mat­ter, but at such time when it pleaseth that great hus­bandman the Eternall GOD, and in what age or yeare of their life vnto him it seemeth most fit: but sure in what time soever it bee, it is ever in due season and in good time, albeit it were not till the very last article of aspiration, as it fell out to one of the evill doers, that was crucified with our Saviour, in the 23. of S ^t Luke, verse 42. Luk. 23.42. But sometimes hee will ingraft and sanctifie his Children from their mothers belly as hee did SAMVELL, IOHN the Baptist, and others: and sometimes hee will let them alone till their mid­dle age come, and after this manner hee dealt with S ^t. PAVL, in the 9. of the Act. Act 9. Obscuring from him his ingrafting and Election, till his Almond tree began to flourish, and at such a time as when hee was even breathing out Persecutions against some of those whose ingrafting was already made knowne vn­to them, even the Christian Church in her infancie.

O the riches of the wonderfull and incomprehensi­ble mercy of GOD declared vnto Mankinde, who hath for our salvation, that before were cast-awayes and the Children of wrath, Ephes. 2. ingrafted vs in his owne Sonne, by which hee hath put vs in a better estate then wee were created in: for albeit that hee made vs before in a most glorious manner altogether accor­ding to his owne Image, illuminated our will with Knowledge, and adorned our soules with Holinesse and Iustice, yet hee gaue vs Naturam flexibilem, a mutable and changeable Nature, creating vs In po­testate standi, seu posse cadendi, in power standing or possibility of falling, and therefore as wee had a pos­sibilitie of falling, so wee fell indeed, and by an a­postate Angell was drawne to apostacie. But it is farre otherwaies with vs now, by this our ingrafting in this stocke, and vnion with CHRIST, for as the grafts beare not the stocke and roote, but are borne by the same, and by consequence our saluation dependeth not vpon our selues, as ADAMS did, but vpon CHRIST, which is the stocke in which wee are ingraft, who one day shall make vs [...] propter gratiam [...] qua nobis ab illo tribuetur, vnchangeable, farre aboue that estate, in which the Angels themselues were cre­ated, by reason of that immutable grace which shall bee giuen vnto vs by him: and in this life it selfe, he will never suffer vs finally and totally to bee cut off from him by sinne, (nothing else can doe it) albeit we fall in sinne, yet God will lift vs vp againe, and raise vp our soules to a liuely confidence in our all-suffici­ent Redeemer. In the 37. Psal. 24. Psal. 37.24. verse, Though the Iust man falleth, hee shall not be vtterly cast downe, [Page 23] for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand. And whereas other branches may bee cut off and pulled away from their stocke, eyther by the violence of boysterous and tempestuous windes, or by the force of men, or at least consumed by time, yet it shall not bee so with vs that are ingraft in CHRIST, because wee doe not keepe him, but are kept by him, and so long as hee is vnchanged, saith Malac. 3.6. Malac. 3.6. Wee cannot be consumed; but the older wee be in him, the more wee flourish, for those that are planted in the courts of the Lord flourish in their old age and bring forth fruit, saith DAVID, Psal. 92.13.14. Psal. 92.13.14 But as to those that are not ingraft in Christ, how great, how tall soever they bee, yea, albeit they were like the sonnes of ANAK in sta­ture, or in height like the Oakes of Basan, or like NA­BVCHADNEZZAR, that grew vp like a great tree so high that the fowles of the heaven made their nests vnder him, yet they shall bee pulled away from their stocke, they shall not remaine in honour, they shall be brought to the graue like abominable branches. In the 40. Chapter of Esay, the 24. verse, Esay 40.24. The Princes of the earth their breath shall decay, they shall returne to their earth, and their thoughts shall perish, the Iudges thereof shall bee made a vanitie as though they were not planted or sowne, or as if their stocke tooke no roote in the earth, the Lord shall blow vpon them and they shall wither, the whirle-wind shall take them away as stubble. O pitifull glory of worldlings! which often dyeth vnto them before they die them­selues, at least continually with themselues, their beau­tie consumeth in going from the house to the graue; neyther doth their pompe descend after them. Onely [Page 24] happie is the estate of those that are ingrafted in CHRIST, Rom. 8. Neither life nor death, principalities nor powers, things present nor thinges to come shall bee able to separate them from the loue of God in CHRIST IESVS their stocke and roote. And thus much for the first similitude of the roote and the grafts, by which the vnion betweene CHRIST and his Church is expressed.

As to the second, it is the similitude of Garments; The second simi­litude of Gar­ments. and looke what straitnesse, what neerenesse, and how great a conjunction is betweene our bodies and our garments, which is exceeding neere, yet such is the vnion betweene Christ and vs, and more strait too, which when the Apostle in the 13. to the Rom. 24. verse, desired most richly to expresse, and most liuely to shew forth, he exhorteth vs to put on the Lord Iesus, to put him on as a vesture and garment, to be so vni­ted to him, as we possesse him, and haue him in vs, and wee in him. Now those that put on IESVS CHRIST are clothed with a fourefold garment; Those that put in Christ are cloathed with a fourefold gar­ment. first, with a garment of CHRISTS imputed Righteous­nesse. Secondly, with a garment of Sanctification. Thirdly, with a garment of Protection; and fourthly, Three names gi­uen vnto euery one of the foure garments. with a garment of Glory. The first gar­ment may be called a winters garment, quia tegit be­cause it covers vs. The second may be called a sum­mers garment, quia ornat, because it adorneth vs and maketh vs fine. The third may bee called a stand of armour, quia protegit, because it protecteth vs. And the fourth may bee called our Wedding garment, because wee must not put it on till our Marriage day with the Lambe. The first three garments may bee [Page 25] called our work a day suites, because euery good Chri­stian must put them on euery day so long as hee re­maineth in this valley of teares here belowe. But the fourth must bee called our holidayes suite, because wee must not put it on till the weeke of our Pilgri­mage in baca, bee ended, and the day of our appea­rance (before GOD in Sion, in that new Ierusalem, in which no arrow can bee shot) begin.

I returne to the first garment, the garment of CHRISTS imputed Righteousnesse, The first Gar­ment, Christs righteousnesse. and our Saviour himselfe speaketh of it, Revel. 3.18. I counsell thee to buy of mee white rayment that thou mayest bee cloa­thed, and that thine filthy nakednesse doe not appeare. The Prophet Esay speaketh of this garment too, but more plainly. GOD hath cloathed mee with the gar­ments of Salvation and covered me with the robes of Righteousnesse. Esay, 61.10. But what righteousnesse is this? What righte­ousnesse this is. Is it not the righteousnesse of his Diuine na­ture? No, for that is not communicable, but the glory which hee will not giue vnto another. What then? Is it not the righteousnesse of his Humaine na­ture consisting in a perfect obedience of the morall Law? No, not that alone neyther; for that alone were perbrene, too short, non vult tegere, it will not cover vs from the frostie blasts of Gods wrath, and from the fearefull winter tempests of his infinite Iu­stice. What righteousnesse then I pray you? A righ­teousnesse neuer imposed to Man nor Angell, euen that righteousnesse which hee as our Mediator by ful­filling the singular law of a Redeemer hath purchased and acquired, to the end that hee might communi­cate it, and giue it freely vnto his Church for her [Page 26] justification, by which shee is absolued from death, whereunto by reason of sinne both originall and actu­all, she was subject, and is adjudged vnto life. And this is CHRISTS imputed righteousnesse, where­with hee first couers those that puts him on, How it couers vs. euen our winters garment, which is so perfect and so compleat that it covereth all our nakednesse from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote, both of body and soule; for in both our Mediator suffered; his blessed Head was crowned with thornes, to satisfie for the proud Imaginations of our stout braines; his sacred hands and feete which neuer offended, were pierced with nailes of Iron, to satisfie for the wicked deeds which wee haue done with our hands, and runne to with our feet, and alas! daily by our sinnes wee draw him againe to the same torture, and crucifie againe to our selues the Sonne of God, and make a mockerie of him. Heb. 6.6. Hee suffered the wrath of GOD in his soule so heauily, as that both heauen and earth did stand amazed to behold it; The Heauens did draw their curtaine, and darknesse was vpon the face of the earth, that they should see their maker in such paine, the Sunne for shame would not looke vpon the Sonne of GOD in such a case, the vayle of the Temple rent it selfe in two for griefe, to see its Lord so dishonoured, the Stones in the street did cleaue a sunder for woe, to see that Stone refused of the buil­ders, which is the head of the corner. And finally, the Bodies of the dead rose out of their graues, asto­nished to behold the Lord of life so troubled in soule, that their soules might in joy perpetuall peace with GOD, and be cloathed with the garments of his impu­ted righteousnes.

The second garment, is a garment of Sanctificati­on. The second gar­ment, Sanctifi­cation. Now wee are cloathed with this garment, when like the Elect wee put on tender mercy, kindnesse, hum­blenesse of minde, meeknesse and long suffering, Col. 3.12. But specially when wee put on loue, When it is put on. 1. Thes. 5.8. Or to say with S ^t PETER, When wee decke the hidden man of our heart with a quiet and meeke spirit, 1. Pet. 3.4. This is our summers garment which adorneth vs, and maketh vs fine, this is that pure, fine and shi­ning linnen, which is the righteousnesse of the Saints. A garment not partie coloured, as IOSEPHS was, but made of many vertues and graces of IESVS CHRIST. These are the badges and cognisances by which wee are knowne to bee his seruants, and the putting on thereof, is the putting on of Iesus Christ. These are the graces by which the Holy Ghost tran­slateth vs out of nature, transformeth vs into the I­mage of the Sonne of GOD, and maketh vs become one with our Redeemer. When it is gi­uen vs. This garment and the for­mer are both giuen vs at one time. The former gar­ment of CHRISTS imputed Righteousnesse defen­deth vs from the fierie flames of Gods burning wrath. This garment of Sanctification, reformeth our cor­rupted nature & renueth the same; These 2. What it wor­keth. garments both cures and couers our filthy nakednes, they turne our sicknesse into health, and our darknesse into light, for whosoeuer putteth on IESVS CHRIST for righ­teousnes to Iustification, puts him likewise on for ho­linesse to Sanctification. So full of grace and vertue is the Lord, that hee, not onely by the merit of his suf­ferings pacifieth the wrath of God toward all those, in whom hee is, but likewise by this vertue sanctifieth [Page 28] them, and by creating a new heart within their breast, and a right spirit within their bowels, maketh them new creatures, changing them from one thing to an­other both in body and soule, Act. 26. from sinne to sanctifi­cation, from darknesse to light, from death to life, and finally, from the power of Sathan to the power of God. That is, to Righteousnes, Iustice, and soberly to walke in this life, in which, except our sanctified carriage, (neyther is that compleat, for man heere is but onely in a part sanctified, otherwise hee were more then a man, but is perfectly justified, or else were hee no more then a sinner) all things are not onely transito­rie and vayne; But vanitie it selfe.

The 3. Garment and its 3. namesThe third garment, wherewith CHRIST cloatheth his Church and those that put him on, is a suite of compleat armour; hoc protegit, this protecteth the Christian man against all the assaults of Sathan, and maketh him stand out against all the invasions of his Spirituall enemies. Sathan enuying this vnion be­tweene CHRIST and his Church, endeuoreth in­cessantly to defile the members of the same, to rent them a sunder, and teare them in peeces; sometime assaulting their Patience, Iob. 1. Gen. 9.21. Gen. 19.33. 2. Sam. 11.4. as he did IOBS; sometime their Temperancie, as hee did to NOAH and LOT; sometime their Continencie, as hee did to DAVID; sometime their Humilitie, as hee did to HEZIKIAH, 2. King. 20. And made him in the pride of his heart, which of all vices is the first, to shew the treasure of his house to the Ambassadours of BERODACH BA­LADAN King of Babell, which thereafter produced a strange effect, even that not only his treasure, but the fruites of his loynes in the reigne of IEHOIACHIN, [Page 29] the people and all the strongest men of warre were carried vnto Babell and Captiuitie, 2. King. 24. Somtime againe Satan assaults vs in our religion and former zeale: and it is wonderfull how almost he euer preuailes once against Gods children, howsoeuer it be true that in the end he is euermore repulsed and driuen backe againe. And in this manner he besieged SALOMON, the ornament of the world both for knowledge and godlinesse, prevailed against him, caused him commit Idolatry, and his Idolatrous wiues to turne his heart after other Gods, ASHTAROTH the god of the Zidonians, and MILCOM the abomi­nation of the Ammonites, 1. King. 11. 1. King 11. And lastly, Sa­than labours much to steale from Gods children their honest name, & this is one of his most subtle assaults, and vseth the tongues of his owne instruments to ef­fect his purpose, against the enemies of his kingdome, Vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt falsis rumoribus sordidentur, Nazian. that those who through the testimonie and light of their innocent consciences shines like the sunne in his meridian, may be made blacke like the night, filthy as a puddle by the false reports of others. Good IOSEPH in the 39. chapter of Gen. was after this manner set vpon by one of Satans owne instru­ments POTIPHARS wife, for when she could not arriue at the intended end of her naughtie thoughts, come and lie with me: she stole from him his good name; this Hebrew seruant would haue mocked me, and so made him odious and filthie in his maisters eyes, and in the sight of his friends: and after this manner are many chosen vessels set vpon by the souldiers of Satan so, as it is impossible for vs to keepe the whole [Page] peeces of our bodie together except we put on the suite of protection, that suite of compleat armor in the [...] the Ephes. And stand with our loines girded about with veritie, hauing on the brest-plate of righteous­nesse, and the shooes of the preparation of the Gospell of peace, he must haue in the one hand the shield of Faith, and in the other the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; vpon our head we must put on the hope of Saluation for an helmet, and the sling of Prayer must be in our mouthes, or rather in our hearts with strong cryings & inward groanings, as MOSES had it at the red Sea, Exod. 14.15. when PHARAOH pursued after him & his people: and to these pieces I could yet adde one further, another paire of shooes; the Prophet EZEKIEL speaketh of those shooes in his 16. Chap. and they are made ex pellibus melium of Baggets skins. The shooes of the Baggets skin why assigned to the Church. Elinie in the 38. chap. of his 8. booke Records, that melis is a beast not only of great innocencie, but of such singular prudencie too, quod sufflatae cutis distentione ictus hominum ac canum morsus arcere solet, that by the extension of its skin it can shun both the strokes of men and bites of dogs, and therefore among many more tokens of Gods fauor bestowed vpon his spouse the Church, for her preseruation, he likewise hath as­signed vnto her the shooes of this beasts skin, to teach her both innocencie and prudencie, to be innocent like a Doue, but wile like a Serpent for her protection against all her malignant enemies whatsoeuer. Thus must we walke armed continually, armed so long as we are in this life 2. Tim. 2.3. as the good Souldiers of IESVS CHRIST, Iob. 7.1. because our life, as saith IOB, is a warfare, Ephes. 6. and wee must fight against Principalities, [Page 31] powers, and spirituall wickednesse, and not only fight but must ouercome, anquish, and subdue them; and thus much for the three first suites of apparell, our workadayes suites, which euery good Christian must put on every day so long as he is in this life heere be­lowe.

But as to the 4. and last, it is a garment of Glory, The 4 Garment, and its 3. names. our wedding garment and our holy dayes suite, but when the weeke of our warfare shall end, and the day of our refreshment, Act. 3.20. the day of our eternall peace ap­peare and begin, which is our euerlasting Sabbath, Revel. 19.7. our marriage day with the Lambe, after which shall neuer come a night, then shall our father cause this suite, our holy dayes suite, our best robe to be brought out and cover vs with white raiment, 1. Cor. 15. then shall this mortall put on immortalitie, and this corruptible in­corruptibilitie; then shall we be couered with brode­red worke, and the LORD shall put frontlets vpon our faces, eare rings in our eares, Esay, 26. bracelets about our armes, chaines about our necks, Esay, 61.10. and crownes vpon our heads, yea the Lord himselfe shall be vnto vs a crown of Glorie and a diadem of beautie. Thus will he deck vs as a Bride attired with Iewels, 2. Cor. 11. as a chaste Spouse to be presented to our immortall husband without spot or wrinkle, in whose face is the fulnesse of Ioy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore, rivers of pleasure in which wee shall bath our selues for all eternitie. And so haue you briefly the simili­tudes of the Garments.

Now resteth the similitude of Marriage: The similitude of Marriage. and in­deed this Spirituall vnion betweene CHRIST and his Church, is very often expressed by Marriage in the [Page] old and new Testament. In the 45. chapter of Esay. fifth verse, Isay. 45.5. hee who made thee, is thy husband, whose name is the Lord of hostes. And in the 9. of Math. 15. Can the children of the marriage chamber mourne so long as the bridgroome is with them. Math. 9.15. And yet more plainely in the 19. of the Reuel. 17. Revel. 19.17. The marriage of the [...] hath come, and the bride hath made her selfe readie. And againe Reuel. 21.9. Revel. 21.9. I will show thee the bride; the Lambes wife. And here in my text as plainely, as liuely, and more liuely then in any other place. Hosea, 2.19. I will marrie thee vnto me for ever. In all which our most gracious God willing to expresse, and desirous to shew foorth both that loue which hee beareth vnto vs, and that too, which he looketh for at our handes compares this most strait vnion, this most neere coniunction betweene CHRIST and his Church vnto the sacred bond of Marriage, by which two persons the man and the woman, the husband and wife are so firmly conjoyned by God, that none ought to presume to sunder them, so wonderfully cou­pled together, that of two which they were before, now they become but one.

It was already a great loue of the Lord to haue created all things for man, to haue made him Lord of them and established him over the workes of his hands. DAVID in the 8. Psal. rauished with this con­templation breaketh out in admiration. Alas, what is man that thou are mindefull of him, and the sonne of man that thou visitest him. DAVID admired Gods liberality: toward man in the creation, but how much more ought we to admire his liberalitie, his incom­prehensible bountifulnesse and loue toward vs in [Page] our redemption, wherein he not onely giueth vs his good things, But bestowes his onely begotten sonne [...] that welbeloued sonne in marriage on vs, and in him giueth vnto vs himselfe too? DAVID ad­mireth the contemplation of the heauens? But how much more ought we to admire the possession of the heauens? DAVID glorifies God for the domination which he giues vs over the creatures in the earth, But how much more ought wee to glorifie God for our marriage and vnion with CHRIST, by which we shall reigne continually with the Angels in heauen? A marriage, I say, the bond whereof is the spirit of God, whose trothpligth is performed heere in the militant Church, But the nuptiall feast shal be hence in the try­umphant Church, where our meat shall be the Tree of life, our drinke the Water of life, our musicke the song of the Saints, Halleluiah, halleluiah, honour, praise and dominion bee to him that sitteth vpon the Throne.

It is an ancient saying, Omnis comparatio cl [...]dicat vno pede, euery comparison is lame of some one or other foot. But this comparison of Marriage doth so fully set forth, so richly expresse our Spirituall marri­age, our conjunction with CHRIST, that if any, it goeth vpright and straight in all the feete, which you shall quickly perceiue by taking notice of these sixe things which are required in euery lawfull Marriage. First, that there must be male and female, Six Circumstan­ces necessary in euery Marriage. Man and Woman, and this may bee called conformitie of na­tures. 2. The Marriage must be propounded. 3. The future Spouse must be courted and wooed. 4. There must be mutuall gifts between the two louers. 5. There must bee a Matrinoniall written and sealed. 6. There [Page] must be Procreation of children; all which, wee shall finde in this Spirituall marriage, but in a more excel­lent manner. As to this word must so often repeated which importeth a necessitie, remember that there is a twofold necessitie, A twofold ne­cessity. an absolute necessitie, and an hypothetike; the absolute, is when a thing is so neces­sarie that it cannot be otherwayes, Which Circum­stances are ab­solutely necessa­ry, and which hypothetikely. the hyphothetike, when a thing is so necessarie that it may bee other­wayes but is onely profitable, decent and comely that it should be so: So some of these circumstances are of an absolute necessitie, without which a marriage can­not be, as conformitie of natures; others againe only of an hypothetike necessitie, and of a decent expe­dencie, but not absolutely necessarie as giuing of mutuall gifts, writing and sealing of a matrimoniall contract, or the like.

The Church re­presented by a Woman two manner of waiesBut I returne to the purpose, thus being premit­ted, and findes that in this spirituall Marriage, there are male and female, man and woman, for the Church is very often in Scripture represented by a woman, in the 4. to the Gal. 22. The Apostle though obscurely, represents the true Church vnder the type of a wo­man, SARAH; ABRAHAM had two sonnes, one by a free woman, and was borne by Promise. But S ^t. IOHN, Reu. 12.1. More clearely and in a more glorious manner too; And there appeared a great wonder in heauen, a woman clothed with the Sunne, and the Moone was vnder her feete, and vpon her head had a Crowne of twelue starres. Now to make vp this perfect confor­mitie of natures, our bridgroome CHRIST IESVS, euen as the Sun, went out of the chamber of the high­est heavens, from the bosom of the Father, the invisibi­litie [Page 35] of the Divinitie, The word is made flesh. Gal. 4.4. desended downe to the earth and in the fulnesse of time taketh our nature vpon him, becommeth man, and was like vnto man in all things sinne onely excepted: The benefit wee haue by his con­formitie of na­ture. and so you haue Conformitie of natures betweene CHRIST and his Church: and by it wee haue this benefit, that CHRIST of one which he was before, becomes now vnto vs three; first our Father in regard of our regeneration which is a new creation, a creation of new hearts within our breasts and of cleane spirits within our bowels. Se­condly, our Brother in respect of our adoption, Ephes. 2. with­out which we were but filij Irae, the children of wrath, prodigals banished out of our fathers house, but now by our adoption wee may eate of the childrens bread, and with boldnes, cry, Abba father vnto God, the fa­ther of our Lord IESVS CHRIST, and acknowledge IESVS CHRIST his sonne to be our elder brother. Thirdly our husband in respect that he hath married vs, in righteousnesse, in iudgement, in wisedome, in mercy, and in compassion. Hos. 2.

Secondly, The 2. Circum­stance. it is a custome that Marriage is pro­pounded, and is it laudable; men ordinarily conforme to their qualitie and order, send their most trusty freinds to deale in this busines, & Kings their Ambas­sadors of their greatest, wisest, and fittest of their No­bilitie to doe honour to the action, This spirituall Marriage pro­pounded in the most honourable forme for foure respects. but neuer was there any marriage, either by King, or Emperour, pro­pounded so honourably as this Spirituall marriage; and that in foure respects. First, in respect of the pro­pounder, God himselfe. Secondly in regard of the parties or persons betweene whom it was propoun­ded, which is CHRIST and his Church. Thirdly, [Page] in regard of the persons to whom it was propounded, to ADAM and EVAH, the onely rulers and swayers of the Scepter of the whole worlds Empire, and whose posteritie is now propagated in innumerable honorable Families and Princely diadems, vpon the face of the earth. Fourthly, in regard of the place where it was propounded, Paradise; The seed of the woman shall breake downe the head of the Serpent. Gen. 3.15. reiterated to ABRAHAM, ISAAC, and IA­COB, to all the Patriarchs, and in all ages by the Pro­phets, and here in my text by our HOSEA, as plain­ly, and more plainly, then by any of them; I will mar­rie thee vnto mee for ever.

The 3. Circum­stance. Christ courteth his loue.Thirdly the King of Kings and Lord of Lords cour­teth, wooeth, and in a most louing manner declareth his spirituall affection to his future spouse in his let­ters and longs more then sweet, penned by the di­rection of his blessed spirit. In the fourth chap. of the Cantic. the first verse. Behold thee art faire my loue, behold thou art faire, thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy talke is comelie, and in the seauenth verse, thou art all faire my loue, and there is no spot in thee. A­gaine in the ninth verse, my Sister, my spouse, thou hast wounded mine heart, thou hast wounded mine heart with one of thine eyes and with a chaine of thine neck; and once againe in the tenth verse, my sister, my spouse, how faire is thy loue, how much better is thine loue then wine, and the sauour of thine oyntments then all spices; and so forth thorough the whole booke of the Cantic. Christ for the loue of his spouse fighteth a combate with his riuall. In a most familiar manner, alluring vs and perswa­ding vs to accept of him for the loue that he beares towards vs, which was so great, that before his riuall, [Page 37] Satan should haue snatched vs out of his hand he will fight against him, and all his confederates, and there­fore he was made flesh, Iohn 16.28. he went from the father and came vnto the world, he valiantly pitched a field in the wildernesse against that roaring lyon, that old Serpent, Math. 4.3. he ouercame his chiefest power, he broke his wilie head, ouerthrew him in the desart by a scriptum est. But was this all? No, he fulfilled the Law in euery point and title, satisfied Gods Iustice for vs, and be­fore he will want vs, he will giue his life for vs, and gaue it indeed, offring himselfe in sacrifice to the Lord of hosts vpon the Crosse for our sinnes, by which he vanquished hell and conquered death; and thereafter gloriously rose againe, left this world, and went againe to his Father. Ioh. 16.28. and sent vnto vs the holy Ghost, but before he went to his fathers house, he told vs, that there was many dwelling places in it, and that he was going to prepare a place for vs, Ioh. 14.3. and therefore exhorteth and admonisheth vs not to be troubled, Let not your heart be troubled. Ioh. 14.1.

O what a loue is here, the hight, the breadth, the length whereof is incomprehensible. But O what hardnesse of heart on the contrary is vpon our part, more hardnes then if the stones which DEVCALION and PYRHA cast ouer their shoulders after the de­luge had been our progenitors and the first authors of our race, yea then the stones themselues, Ouid. Metap. for we reade that stones haue been broken in peeces at the voice of the Lord at the first, and so were the stones of the altar in Bethell at the voice of the Prophet, and the vale of the Temple rent it selfe in two, when the Lord suffred at Golgotha for our redemption and to make [Page] our marriage firme, and if at any time stones haue been disobedient, vnto GODS voice, it is because of mans disobedience and infidility, in whose mouth it was; and in this respect we reade that the rocke re­fused to render water to MOSES at the first and se­cond stroke, yet rendred obedience at the third, and rendred water abundantly. But how often is this loue propounded, this marriage offred, and the Gos­pell preached vnto vs: and which is hee amongst vs, that mollifieth his heart at the first, at the second, yea, or at the the third stroake: I meane at so many sermons or at a thousand more, loueth the Lord a­gaine, and repenteth him of his sinnes and iniquities; shall not the Altar in Bethell, and the vale of the Temple condemne vs in the day of the Lord? that at the first gaue obedience; and be faithfull witnesse of our Induration against vs without example, that refuse most obstinately the loue of our husband offred vnto vs euery day at our owne doores, but will not leaue our father, forsake his house and our owne people, will not be diuorced from our adulteries, our old sins, that our husband the King may take pleasure in our beautie: The Lionesse may teach vs wisedome, for she will not company with the Lyon after her com­mixtion with the Leopard till she first wash her selfe in water, vnwilling that her adultery should be mani­fested by her scent. It is recorded likewise that the Vi­per is so wise, that before its copulation with the fish Muraena, Basil. in his Hexamer [...]n Hom. it first vomits and casts out all the pernicious and venemous poyson that is within it, or in its teeth; O pittifull blindnesse of man! that by nature is more adulterous then the Lionesse, and goeth a [Page 39] whoring after euery sort of vanitie, more vene­mous then the Viper, and is full of hatred, malice, enuie, and debate, and will neither see it, nor doe it away, but suffers strange Lords to tyrannise ouer him without repugnancie & opposition, and specially such Lords as are but cowards, which if he but resist, will flee from him, and yet giues way vnto him, not fearing that his disloyalty shall be perceiued by his righteous master, head and Lord, and that his patience will in the end be turned into a scepter of Iron to crush him, and to breake him in peeces like a potters vessell. O horrible and thrice cursed nature! why hast thou so armed our carnall corps with the weapons of vnrigh­teousnesse to fight against the long suffring of our most gracious God? and so long to abuse the loue of our redeemer? But let vs fight against nature with the weapons of righteousnesse, even with repentance, and humiliation, that the Lord may exalt vs, giue vs the oyle of joy for mourning, and wash vs in that foun­taine opened to the house of Iudah: and finally let vs say with DAVID, Psal. 73.25. Psal. 73.25. Whom haue we in heaven but thee, and we haue desired none in earth with thee. And thus let vs say in our heart, for it is the heart which the Lord craueth, My sonne giue me thine heart, and let vs say it speedily, and in this life; speedily, be­cause time swiftly passeth, Et dies nostri sunt vel [...]cio­res cursore, our dayes are swifter then a post, saith Iob. 7.6. and we cannot tell how quickly the race thereof shall be run out, and then it will be out of time: It must be then in this life, which is tempus acceptum, the accepted time, the day of saluation. 2. Cor. 6.2. because this life is the time in which our election must be [Page] made sure, and sealed vp to our spirits by the infallible testimonie of the good spirit of God, this life is the time wherein euery man must worke out his saluation with a filiall feare and trembling: this life is the time wherein we must be admitted into the kingdome of grace, if euer we looke to be admitted into the king­dome of glory: In this life we must be matriculated into the mysticall body of the Church by obeying the injunctions and will of God, and requiring our suiters loue with true affection, if euer we wil look to sit at the bridegroomes table, and enter with oile in our lampes into his chamber into the kingdome of heauen: and in a word we must haue heauen in inchoation in this life, if we will haue it in perfection after this life.

The 4. Circum­stance.Fourthly, as there are mutuall gifts betweene two persons to be joyned in the honourable and vndefiled bed of marriage, so is there betweene Christ and his Church. Christs guifts to the Church two­fold. CHRIST giueth his first, which are twofold, for his Church, and to his Church: for his Church, he sendeth to his father the gifts of his righteousnesse and meretorious satisfaction for her justification. To his Church he sendeth the gifts of his mercy & compas­sion, of Election, Predestination, justification, Voca­tion, Sanctification and hope of Glorification. The Church is not ingratefull, The Churches guifts twofold. but hath her two-fold gifts too. Contrition, and Thankesgiuing; the first, is a composition: the second a simple without ingredi­ents. The ingredients whereof Contrition is com­posed, The ingredients thereof Contri­tion is composed [...] two. are our sinnes and a godly sorrow for the same; for the child of God, a member of this Church, and everie member of the same, takes all their sinnes, at least so many of them as they know, and in a sorrow­full [Page] heart as in a morter beateth them, so as they are borne downe in some measure, yea in a great measure, & never riseth vp so high therafter: and therof is Con­trition composed & made: which is sent vp by deuout prayer, and innumerable sighes which cannot be vtte­red, whereof the Lord most willingly accepteth, for the Sacrifices of the Lord are a contrite spirit, saith DA­VID, Psal. 51.17. A contrite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. The other gift, Thankesgiuing, Thankesgiuing the greatest gift which wee can giue vnto God, is a simple and hath none ingredients, But is a volun­tarie, a willing retribution of one good thing for a­nother, a sweet and a godly reioycing in the vndeser­ued mercies of God, which is one of the greatest gifts which we can, or are able to offer vnto God, in which regard the Apostle exhorts vs alwaies, in all things to giue thankes, 1. Thes. 5.18. Prayer and Thankesgiuing paralelled. Prayer & Thanksgiuing are two notable parts of diuine worship, but of the two, Thankesgiuing is the most heavenly and Angelike: for in Prayer we respect our selues and haue regard vn­to such things as wee desire to haue; But by Thankes­giuing we retribute vnto God what is competent vnto him, & only regards his Divine essence. Prayer againe properly pertaines to vs whilest we are in baca, this va­ley of teares, Et est egentium ac miserorum, and belongs to wanting and miserable people: But Thankesgiuing shall pertaine to vs when all teares shal be wiped from our eyes, Et est angelorum ac glorificatorum, and be­longs vnto vs when we shall raigne like Angels and be joyned to the fellowship and societie of the glorified Church, the spirits of perfect and blessed men, that sings continually, Praise bee vnto God, and Glory to the Lambe that sitteth vpon the throne for evermore.

Fiftly, there is a contract, The 5. Circum­stance. a matrimoniall written and [Page] sealed, in which it is contracted, that God shall be out God, and we shall bee his people, that whosoeuer is wearie and laden, Math. 11. that in comming to our redeemer he shall be eased, and refreshed, which is, he shall be pur­ged from all his sinnes in the blood of his Sauiour, for in the 3. of S ^t. Iohn 36. The blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne. This contract is written by the Apostles, the penmen of the holy Ghost, that led them in all truth and veritie, sealed with the blood of our Savi­our, and ratified by the blood of many a Martyr since, both vnder the first and the second beast, vnder the cruell Emperours, and raging antichristian Popes.

The 6. Circum­stance.Sixtly, as the procreation of children is necessarie in Earthly marriage, so is it in this spirituall marri­age. In earthly marriage this was the blessing of God in the beginning, Gen. 2.15. Increase and multiply. Gen. 2.15. And without this, there is often but little content in mar­riage, when the Lord had promised to ABRAHAM twise the land of Canaan, to be his buckler and excee­ding great reward, all was nothing, there could be no true contentment; because, said he, I goe childlesse. But when IZACK was promised, when the Lord told him that SARAH should beare him a sonne, then A­BRAHAM fell vpon his face and laughed. Gen. 17.17. and when he was borne SARA confessed that the Lord had made her to rejoyce. Gen. 21.6. * RACHELL was more impatient, for in the 30. of Gen. 1. she would either haue children or die, but when IOSEPH was borne she was content that God had taken away her rebuke. And in the 1. of Samuel, HANAH one of the wiues of ELCANAH did weepe because she was barren, but when Samuel was borne she rejoyced, and brake out in this glorious triumph; mine heart reioyceth in the [Page 43] Lord, mine horne is exalted in the Lord, mine mouth is enlarged over mine Enemies. 1. Sam. 2.1. Iust so there could be no peace if in this spirituall marriage the spouse should be barren; and howsoeuer that in some earthly marriages for other respects there may be peace with barrennesse, and loue too. Yet in this spirituall marriage the procreation of children is of an absolute necessitie, and must not cease, nor leaue off till the con­summation of the world, neither shall the world subsist any longer, then till the Church be barren, for then, the whole and full number of those whose names are written in the booke of life are brought out, and come into the world, and then shall the world end, and not till then. Who are our Fa­ther and mother in this spirituall Marriage. Now our Parents in this spirituall marriage is Christ, and Ierusalem, the Church militating here below, & the procreation is made at the preaching of the Gospell by the operation of the holy Spirit: and after this manner, at one Sermon made by S ^t. PETER, Act. 2. there was 3. Thousand children procreated vn­to Christ, three thousand soules turned to the faith of IESVS, and wheresoever this Gospell is preached, or shall be preached, the Church will never be barren, be­cause the Lord addeth daily vnto his Church such as should bee saved: Act. 2. and in whatsoever place of the world there is any of those, whose names are written in the booke of life, for their cause & conversion the Gospell shall be preached in that same place, & that piece that is called their hearts shall be disforested, put to tillage and turned into a fertile field or a fruitfull garden, and if there were but one elected Familie in a whole Citie, the Gospell will come to that City for that one families vocation, Luk. 19.1. as it did * to Ierico for the vocati­on of Zacheus and his familie: and wheresoever this [Page] Gospell is not preached, it is a sure argumēt that there is none of Gods chosen childrē in that place, for where there is a haruest, God will send reapers, and labourers where he will plant a vineyard, and when there is but little preaching in a Parish or a Citie, it is a token that God hath no great haruest in that place, and where the lampe of the Gospell hath been burning once in a glorious manner, and now is extinguished, the candlestick remoued, and false lights set vp in the place thereof, as in the Church of Rome, it is euident that the Lords haruest is done in that Citie, place or Parish, because the Lord will neuer call home the la­bourers otherwise in the noone time of the day; nor remoue his Ministrie from his owne peoples con­uersion, consolation, and farther corroboration, in which regard the Ministers of Gods word in some respect are the parents of all Christians, that is both their father and their mother, Iustified by S ^t. 1. Cor. 4.15. Paul. In Christ Iesus, faith he, I haue begotten you, through the Gospell. And here it is cleere that they are the fathers of Christians, and Gal. 4.19. he makes it plaine that they are the mothers of all Christians too. My little children of whom I trauell againe in birth till Christ bee formed in you.

Gods Ministers the Parents of Christians.And this should teach all Christians reuerently to speake of their Ministers, to honor them & maintaine their reputatiō as their begetters to be the heirs of the kingdom of heauen; & to supply them in their necessi­ties as their spirituall parents: But the omission of this dutie toward the ministerie, argues that Christ is not yet formed in them, which is the forming of them to Christs Image and similitude by casting off the old man, which cannot be done without sorrow and paine [Page] like a woman in her labour, whereof as yet they haue neuer so much as once felt the least smarting: But be­fore Christ be formed in them, they will be sensible of it: for if a woman cannot be deliuered of her child which she hath carried but nine moneths in her wombe without dolour and griefe? shall we thinke to be deliuered of sinne, which is a man, an old man, and a man which we haue carried about within our breasts ever since the day of our natiuitie without spi­rituall dolour and paine. No? it is not possible, for in a sinners conuersion and forming of him according to the Image of the sonne of God, there must bee the broken heart, the contrite Spirit, the mourning weed, the pale countenance, the melting eye, and the voice of lamentation: and therefore Repentance receiues these three names in Scripture, Regeneration, Three names gi­uen to Repen­tance. Cir­cumcision, and Mortification, and as there can be no cutting of the flesh, no death, no birth without paine, so in this spirituall birth, Wherein consist­eth the paine in the spirituall birth. in this forming of sinners to the Image and similitude of Christ there is paine; paine for their owne sins past, paine for the iniquities of the wicked, because they will not keepe Gods law, paine for all the abominations in the Land and place wherein they liue, paine for to see the Church of God so oppressed in many places of the world, and finally, paine for their absence from their country the king­dome of heauen. Those that are after this manner in labour and paine are the children of Christ begotten in this spirituall marriage, not by the will of flesh and blood, but by the will of God. And thus much for the three similitudes by which our vnion with Christ is expressed.

And now I come to the two qualities of this Marri­age, The two quali­ties of this marriage. [Page] the certaintie and the perpetuitie, but because the time is spent, & I feare that I haue stayed you too long I will dispatch them in a word. The certaintie then of this marriage, as I told you, is implyed in the gemina­tion and doubling of this Promise, I will marrie thee to me, yea I will marrie thee. And this is no tautologie or vaine repetition, but an infallable truth iustified by Io­seph Gen. 41.32. that tels vs, that Pharaohs dreame was doubled, because the thing is established by God. It is truth that Gods promises are as sufficient when they are but once made as when they are reiterated, as firme when they are spoken, as being sworne & confirmed with an oath: yet for to supply our weakenes and defects, our most gracious God is not only willing to promise, but often to double & redouble his promises, as he did to Abraham in the booke of Genesis, Gen. 12.2. Gen. 13.14.17. Gen. 15.18. Gen. 18.8. when hee promised vnto him the land Canaan, not once, twise, or thrice, but fiue times. And here in my text, not once or twise I will marrie, I will marrie thee, but the third time; yea I will euen marrie thee. Not only content to speake, but to sweare, as in Psal. 12.11. The Lord hath sworne vnto David, and he will not shrinke from it, that of the fruit of thy body will I set vpon thy throne. The Apostle Heb. 6. gi­ueth the reason, and tels vs wherefore this is done, that thereby (saith he) he might declare to the heires of the pro­mise the stabilitie of his counsell. And looke how stable and how sure that our Election bee, the certaintie of this Marriage is as sure, and what arguments and rea­sons may be, or can be brought to proue the certaintie of the one, the same will serue to proue the certainty of the other, but at this time I will neither weary you, nor lose my selfe in such a wildernesse of discourse: for none can be members of this Marriage but the Elect.

The last qualitie of this Marriage is perpetuitie, for euer. This speech for euer is taken 3. manner of wayes This speech for euer taken three manner of waies in Scripture; first, for the time of a mans life only, and so it is taken Psal. 121.8. The Lord shall preserue thy go­ing out and thy comming in from henceforth and for euer; that is, all the dayes of thy life, & that notwithstanding of the speculatiue interpretations of many that hath commented this place, that can draw out quidlibet ex quolibet, gold out of drosse; or rather turne gold with their metaphysicke contemplations into drosse, whose opinions I cannot now stay to refute. Secondly, in the old Testament it is extended, somtimes to the Messias his comming in the flesh, so is it taken Gen. 17. Where the Sacrament of Circumcision is called a Couenant for euer, Circumcision a­bolished. & yet you know it was abolished at the insti­tution of Baptisme, and S. Paul in dirision cals it Con­cision, and in 2. Gal. 4. a Bondage. Likewise in the 12. Chap. of Exodus, the Passouer is called an Ordinance of the Lord to be kept holy for ever. The Passouer a­brogated. Neuerthelesse it was abrogated at the institution of the sacrament of the Lords supper; Thirdly, it is taken not only for the whole time of the worlds induring, but likewise for that Eternity which shall bee after the consummation of the world, and so it is taken Revel. 11.15. where it is said, That Christ shall raigne for ever; and here in my text, I will marrie thee vnto mee for euer. No time here, no time hence, shall repudiate, sunder, and diuorce vs, but as I haue loued my Church before all time, so will I continue my affection towards my welbeloued after all time, and when there shall be no more time.

But seeing time is spent let vs winde vp this clew, let vs see what wee shall render vnto the Lord for so great fauor bestowed vpon vs, for so great loue shew­ed [Page 48] toward Mankinde, aboue the Angels, in marrying himselfe vnto vs; making vs sure of this marriage, al­luring vs to constancie by louing speeches, and by great promises perswading vs, yea drawing vs to im­brace it: and suffring the Angels to lie still vnder the heauie burden of his wrath, in the most wofull and most miserable estate of Apostacie? What say I, shall we render vnto the Lord for so incomprehensible a benefit, and such an infinite weight of loue? ten thou­sand rivers of oile, & all the beasts on thousand moun­taines, yea in all the forrest of Libanon are nothing to the Lord. What then? heare the Apostle? Loue the Lord because he hath loued vs first, let our hearts melt with kindnesse toward him, then shall it be vnto vs a faithfull witnes that we are a part of his mysticall body, a part of the Church of the elect his spouse; and that the Lord loueth vs: for this loue is the first effect of our faith, the most expresse trace of Gods Image, and the most liuely marke of his children; it is the soule of other vertues, the rule of our actions, and the summarie of the Law, it is the vpholder of Martyrs, the ladder of heaven & the peace of conscience: yea, I dare say, that it is a tast, a beginning here of that infinit loue which hence we shall carrie toward Christ our husband when we shall be presented vnto him with­out spot or wrinkle, a most chaste spouse, vnited, and perfectly haue this promise of marriage consumma­ted and fulfilled. To this our husband and redeemer, with the Father, and the holy Spirit, three persons, and one Deitie, be all honour, praise, and do­minion, for now and euermore. AMEN.