My Sister.

THE Church in Scripture is vsually compared to a woman, and their analogie is apparant ma­ny wayes.

First, in the manner of their birth. The first woman Gen. 2.22. Eue was built out of Adams side whilst he lay asleepe. This woman, the Church, had her Ecclesia enim coniux domini, facta est de late­re, quomodo Eua illa facta est de latere. August. in Psal. 126. birth and building too out of Christs side, which is the second [Page 10] Adam, in his sleepe of death vpon the Crosse. The Souldier with a Speare pierced Christs side, and Iohn 19.34. immediately there came out bloud and water, Ioh. 19.34. Chrysost. in Iohan. hom. 84. Non casu, & simpliciter hi fontes scaturierunt, saith Chrysost. Sed quoniam ex am­bobus Ecclesia constituta est: This came not to passe by a simple chance, but because by these foun­taines the Church liues, drinking water in Baptisme, and bloud in the Lords Supper. So that as Numb. 20.11 Moses strake the Rocke, and presently there flowed out water that cheared the Israelites in the desert, Num. 20.11. euen so Longinus strake the rock Christ Iesus, and immediately there flowed out the two Sacramentall streames that Psal. 46.6. make glad the Citie of God, and preserues life in it for euermore.

Secondly, in the account of their husbands. Adam ioyed in his Eue, rested in her loue, and prized her more then the whole world that [Page 11]GOD had giuen him before. So hath Christ done by his Church; he hath ioyed in her more then in all things beside, yea, more then in himselfe. Shee is that Gen. 24.67. Rebeccah, which hee like Isaac hath brought into his owne Tabernacle, and sets his minde on her so much, as for her loue hee hath forgotten the death of his Mother, the Syna­gogue, and sports himselfe alone with her, Gen. 24.67. Shee that Gen. 24.20. Rachel so much prized aboue bleare-eyed Leah populus vester est & Sy­nagoga, Rachel vero nostra Ec­clesia. Iust. Mart. colloq. cum Tryph. Leah her Sister, for whom, like Iacob, hee hath serued not seauen yeeres, but almost fiue times seauen, and they seemed short vnto him because hee loued her, Gen. 29.20. Shee, that Esther 2.17. Esther, to whom Christ, our Assuerus, hath held out the Scepter of peace, and hath made of a Captiue a Queene, in the roome of rebellious Ʋashti, the stiffe-necked Synagogue. Esth. 2.17.

Thirdly, in the end of their crea­tions. The woman at first was made [Page 12]to be an help to man, her Lord, and such an helpe, as should be Septnag. Gen. 2.18. [...], euermore at his elbow, mi­nistring and seruing, to expell sor­row from him, and to bring con­tent to him: so is the Church made to Psal. 45.11. serue her Lord, Christ; Psal. 45.11. Hee is thy Lord God, and worship thou him: For, as be­fore the womans creation, though all creatures serued Adam, and were ready attendants on him, yet none was found worthy to ioyne with him in friendship (a thing na­turally desired of man, who is Arist. eth. lib. 8. cap. 1. [...], a creature desirous of Friendship) or if in friendship, yet by no meanes in wed-locke, which hee notwithstanding, (being Arist. ib. lib. 8. cap. 12. [...], more naturally inclined to loue a wife in a house, then a friend in a citie) desires aboue all other things. Euen so, although Infidels and re­probates, like beasts as they are, cannot but serue Christ in the set­ting [Page 13]forth of his Iustice: yet no ser­uice is worthy of his loue, nor plea­sing to his minde, but onely the seruice of his Church, with whom hee dwels, by his grace, on earth, and who is to dwell with him in his glory, in heauen.

Fourthly, in the seuerall estates and conditions that are incident to a woman. For, there is no state hap­pening to a woman in nature, but the same is suiting to the Church in resemblance. Thus the Church is an hand-maid, a mistresse, a mo­ther, a daughter, a wife, a widow, a virgin, a Spouse, and to conclude, a sister.

Shee is an hand-maid, waiting and attending on Gods Seruice. Therefore those words, Psal. 123.2. Psal. 123.2. Behold, as the eyes of Seruants looke to the hands of their Masters, and the eyes of an hand-maid vnto the hands of her Mistresse, &c. August. in Psal. 122. Au­gustine saith, are spoken of the Church, which is Seruus, quia [Page 14]populus, ancilla quia Ecclesia: Gods Seruant, because his people, Gods Hand-maid because his Church: And wee which are of his familie, must loue him and his Church, but after a different manner, Aug. in Ps. 88. Illum si­cut Dominum, hanc sicut Ancillam, him as our Lord, her, as his hand­maid.

And yet shee is also a Mistris. A Mistris to rule and guide her folke, yea and to correct them too, if they doe offend. Therefore the same Aug. epis. 48. Nonne contuma­cem ancillam Sa­ra potius afflige­bat? &c. S Saint Augustine compares her to Sarah, who when her hand­mayd contemned her, thrust her out of dores, Gen. 21.14. Genes. 21.14. So the CHVRCH foras mittit puts out of dores, by Ecclesiasticall discipline, such as be rebellious and contuma­tious against her. True it is, some men cannot indure to heare of this, that the Church should be their mi­stris. Hence it is, that they neglect her commaunds, and contemne her censures. And by their example it is [Page 15]come to passe that euery wicked liuer thinks of excommunication as brutum fulmen, or a bullet of Corke, and forgets the power of binding & loosing that is committed to the Church. So that ecclesiasticall di­scipline, which Disciplina cu­stos spei, retina­culum fidei, dux itineris salutaris, fomes ac nutri­mentum bonae in­dolis, &c. Cyp. de disc. & hab. Virg. Cyprian calles, the preseruer of hope, the retainer of faith, the guide to saluation, the cherisher of good towardlines, the mistris of vertue &c. is almost fallen to the ground, and hath lost his due reputation a­mongst wicked men. The Church they thinke should not constraine, but intreate, not compell, but coun­saile.

But this donatisticall opinion is confuted: first, by reason, because, Aug. ad Vinc. Epist. 48. Non omnis qui parcit est amicus, nec omnis qui verberat inimicus, saith Au­g [...]stine, Not euery one that spareth is a friend, nor euery one that pu­nisheth, an enemy. There is as well a punishing mercy, as a sparing cru­elty. For when mildnesse will doe no good, wee must vse seuerity. [Page 16] Hier. ad. Helio. Debet amor laesus irasci, saith Ierome, loue too much prouoked must grow angry, Hieron. ibid. Qui rogantem con­tempserat, audiat obiurgantem: Hee which contemned one praying, let him heare him chiding. Secondly, by example, and that euen of God himselfe, 1 Sam. 2.6. who casts downe that hee may lift vp, killeth that hee may make aliue, turnes downe to hell that hee may exalt to heauen. As also of all good men; for Aug. ad Vinc. epist. 48. Semper, et mali persecuti sunt bonos, et boni malos, saith Augustine. It hath euer beene seene, that euill men haue persecuted the good, and the good haue persecuted euill men. Id. ibid. Illi nocendo per iniustitiam, hi consu­lendo per disciplinam. The one by in­iustice hurting, the other by disci­pline amending. Thus the Apostles being deliuered Mat. 10.17. Aug. vt supra. potestati humanae, to the power of men, deliuered their deliuerers 1 Cor. 5.5. potestati Satanae, to the power of Satan.

[Page 17]The Church is a Mother. Gal. 4.26. Gal. 4.26. Ierusalem which is aboue is free, which is the mother of vs all. She it is that brings forth in faith, and brings vp in loue. Cypryan. de vnitat. Eccles. § 5. Illius foetu nascimur, illius lacte nutrimur, spiritu cius animamur, saith Cyprian. By her trauaile are we borne, nourished by her milke, and quickned by her spirit. Hence that resolute speach of so many August. Hierom. Cyprian, &c. Fathers: he can neuer haue God for his father in heauen, that doth not acknowledge the Church his mother on earth. Her care is great for her sonnes, which if they proue rebellious, eyther in opinion, as Heretikes, or in man­ners, as reprobates, she complaines with God, Isa. 1.2. Isa. 1.2. I haue nourished vp children, but they haue rebelled a­gainst me. Or with the Synagogue, 2 Esdr. 2.3. I brought you vp with ioy and gladnesse, 2 Esdr. 2.3. but with sorrow and heauinesse haue I loft you.

She is also a daughter. Sion was called so: Zach. 9.9. Tell ye the daughters of [Page 18]Sion. And the Church of the Gen­tiles, Psal. 45.11. Hearken O daughter, and con­sider. For if each faithfull soule be Gods daughter, as being borne of him, from aboue; then much more the Church, vvhich is, Bern. super Cant. Serm. 61. Multarum vnitas, vel potius vnanimitas anima­rum; the vnitie or rather vnanimi­tie of many soules together. And she is a daughter to God, Chrysost. in Psalm. 44. Quia ipse ipsam regenerauit, & ipse quoque eam despondit, sayth Chrysostome, because he hath begotten her after his owne image, and because he hath betroa­thed her to his owne sonne.

Againe, the Church is a Wife; and that by a perfect Matrymonie be­tweene Christ and her. For whether you take matrimony from Tho. Aquin. p. 3. q. 44. a. 2. Matris munium, a Mothers Office; or from Id. ibid. Matrem muniens, a Mothers de­fence; or from Id. ibid. Matrē monens, from admonishing a Mother; or lastly, from Id. ibid. supra. materia and monos; vnitie of matter: it agreeth to Christ & the Church excellently wel. She hauing [Page 19]an office vnder Christ to instruct her children well, & an admonition from Christ, to demeane her selfe well; & a defence in Christ against the gates of hell; and an interest in Christ to the ioyes of Heauen. Vn­der him by deputation to gouerne his seruants, with him by imputa­tion to partake of his inheritance.

Shee is also a Widow: a Widow sayth Gregory, Greg. Moral. lib. 16. cap. 22. Quae occisi viri sui, interim visione priuata est. Whose Husband Christ being dead, shee marries no more to the delights of the World, but mourneth for want of his vision in Heauen. Therefore shee doth, sayth August. in 50. Homil. Hom. 18. Augu­stine, like the Widdow of Sareptah, eates her meale with resolution to die, that being once dead she may liue for euer. To this end she is ga­thering two stickes, August. ibid. Quia duo ligna Crucem faciunt, because two sticks make a Crosse, which is her onely stay, whereon to rest her selfe in this vale of miserie. All her meate [Page 20]is the meale of Christs flesh, and the oyle of his blood, which being blessed vnto her by the Prophets of God, feeds her, and her sonnes, and the Prophets to.

This Church is also a Virgine: For though, sayth August. de verbis Dom ser. 32. Tota Eccle­sia quae constat ex pueris, & virginibus, & maritatis faemi­nis, & vxoratis viris, vno no­mine virgo est appellata. Augustine, She consists of diuers conditions, of men, women, children and maydes, yet is shee commonly called by the one name of a Virgine. And the resemblance stands many wayes: First, In regard of puritie, August. in Psal. 147. Ʋirgini­tas carnis, corpus intactum, virgini­tas mentis fides incorrupta. The vir­ginitie of the body is puritie of flesh, the virginitie of the Church, is integritie of Fayth. Secondly, In respect of innocency: for virginity is a harmelesse estate; it is Cyprian. de bono pudicit. Perseue­rans infantia, sayth Cyprian; A perpe­tuall infancie. And the Church is a company of new-borne 1 Pet. 2.2. Babes, feeding vpon the sincere Milke of the word, 1 Pet. 2.2. Thirdly, In respect of beauty; we all know that [Page 21]beautie is in virgins, as in her proper subiect. Therefore virginitie is com­pared to a flower: Cyp. de discip. & habit. virg. Flos est ille Eccle­siastici germinis, decus at (que) ornamen­tum gratiae spiritualis. Chaste vir­ginitie is the flower of all Ecclesia­sticall branches, and the comely ornament of spirituall grace. So is the Church her selfe, euen by Christs owne verdict, Cant. 4.7. Cant. 4.7. Thou art all fayre my loue, thou art all faire, and there is no spot in thee. Fourthly, In respect of chastitie. Therefore Digna viginitas quae apibus com­paretur. Ambr. de virg. lib. 1. Ambrose compared a virgine to a Bee, which creature is in the Pierius lib. 26. hieroglyphicke of chastitie. So the Church is a chaste virgine, presented by the Ministers vnto Christ without spot or wrinckle; yet in the midst of her chastitie shee is farre from barrennesse: Cyp. de bono pudic. Non habet faecunditatem, sed non habet orbita­tem, saith Cyprian; She hath no fruit­fulnesse, and yet is void of barren­nesse. Shee hath no children of the flesh, but she hath the off-spring of [Page 22]the Spirit. Ambr. de vir­gin. lib. 1. Partus virginis faetus la­biorum, saith Ambrose, The vir­gins Issue is the calues of the lips. Therefore Anselme compares the Ansel. Com­ment. in 2 Cor. 11. Virgin Church our mother, to the Virgin Mary Christs mother. For as she though a Virgin, brought forth the fairest Child that euer was, so the Church a Virgin, daily brings forth to God the most acceptable issue that can be.

This Virgin the Church is also Sponsa, that is, a Virgin affianced. A Spouse promised and set apart to the marriage of Christ. Reu. 21.2. The new Ierusalem comes downe from heauen (for her birth is from aboue) like a Bride trimmed for her husband. Reu. 21.2. Trimmed I say, but at the Bride­gromes cost, who hath adorned her with graces, Isa. 61.10. tanquam monilibus, as with precious Iewels, Isa. 61.10. Shee it is that is so arrayed with all manner of flowers, that she is staid vp with flowers, amongst which yet there is not a fairer flower then is [Page 23]her selfe. It is well obserued by Bernard. super Cant. ser. 47. Ber­nard, that Solomon in this Booke, makes mention of three sorts of flowers.

• 1 Flos campi: The flower of the field, and that is Christ,
  Bernard. ibid.
  nec sulca­tus vomere, nec defossus sarculo, &c. whose flesh was not eared with the share of any humane information, nor minde tilled with the cultor of any masters instruction, and yet yeelds forth the smell of all most fragrant vertues.
• 2 Flos horti: The flower of the garden, and that is the Church, which is digged by the knowledge of the Law, planted by the worke of the Ministerie, watered by the preaching of the Gospell, and fen­ced by the wall of the Sacraments.
• 3 Flos thalami: The flower of the bed-chamber, and that is
  Conscientia bo­nis refarta operi­bus. Ber. suꝑ. Cant. ser. 15.
  the soule, filled with good works, which are the flowers that the Bride decks her selfe with, and deckes her selfe with them euery day. For shee is [Page 24]euery day a Bride, and euery day puts on fresh flowers of good workes.
  Bern. ibid.
  Otherwise Cito iacet & marcet flos boni operis (saith Bernard) at (que) in breui omnis ex eo extermina­tur & nitor & vigor: soone dies and withers the flower of a good worke, and fayles both in sauour and fa­uour, if it be not eftsoones renew­ed afresh. But of all flowers, this Bride the Church is most of all adorned wth Lillies and Roses, Con­fessors and Martyrs, the one where­of hath the white flower of an in­nocent life, the other the red flower of a bloudy death.
  Cypr. ad mar­tyres. epist. 9.
  O beatam Ec­clesiam nostram, saith Saint Cyprian; O blessed Church that wee haue: Floribus eius nec Lillia nec Rosae de­sunt; her flowers want neyther Lil­lies nor Roses. All men striue now to wreathe themselues garlands, ey­ther
  Aut de opere candidas, aut de passione purpu­reas. Cyp. vt sup.
  white by action, or purple by passion. And sure the Church was then in her flowers indeed, the sweet smell whereof hath reached to our [Page 25]dayes, and shall continue to the end of the world.

Lastly, the Church is Christs Sister: not a Sister by similitude or imitation onely, but Isid. Hisp. orig. lib. 9. cap. 6. germana, that is, ex eadem genitrice manaens (saith Isidore) borne as it were both in a belly. For, there is a greater con­sanguinitie betweene Christ and man, then betweene the Angels and Christ: for, the Iob. 1.6. Angels indeede are Gods progenie, and so Christ is their brother by the Fathers side: but to man he is allyed nearer; for man is of Gods linage, Act. 17.17. Ipsius genus sumus, Acts 17.17. Wee are his ge­neration: and Christ againe is of mans linage, Rom. 1.3. Borne of the Seede of Dauid according to the flesh, Rom. 1.3. So that, as God made our soule of him, so hath hee made his body of vs. And the affinitie is continued both wayes: for, as GOD gaue his daughter, that is, his image to man, so hath hee taken mans siister, that is, his nature, in marriage to his [Page 26]Sonne. Iustly therefore doth he call the Church, and in the Church each faithfull soule, his Sister, as tyed to him in a most firme bond of alli­ance and consanguinitie.

And by this further you may see two other points. First, the chast­nesse of his loue vnto her. Hee cals her his Sister, saith Hieron. aduers. Iouinian. lib. 1. Ierome, vt tol­leretur suspicio foedi amoris, to take away the suspition of vnchaste loue. For the name of Sister implies a de­testation of fleshly impuritie, which made him to say, Plautus. Tam a me pudica est, quam mea si soror sis: Shee is as chaste for mee, as if shee were my Sister. Secondly, the greatnesse of his loue vnto her, as being tyed to­gether in a double band; of Con­sanguinitie, which makes them one bloud; and Matrimonie, which makes them one flesh. This Abra­ham is a brother and husband to his Sarah. How can shee doubt to receiue anything from God, whom shee hath so surely and nearely tyed [Page 27]to her. Bern. super Cant. ser. 20. Puto me iam spernere non po­terit, os ex ossibus meis, & caro de carne mea: Now verily, I thinke he can neuer despise me, which is flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone. For, if hee neglect me as a brother, yet will he loue me as a husband. And thus much of the first.

My Loue.

AS of all Societies none is so neere as that of man and wife; so, neyther amongst any is loue so feruent as betweene them. There­fore Christ being by spirituall mar­riage made one with his Church, and louing her more tenderly then the kindest husband the kindest wife, cals her, as some translate it, Proximam; his neerest: but as the Paguin. Vatablus. Montan. Tremellius. &c. most and the best, Amicam, his dearest: as if he were by loue gone out of himselfe, and turned wholy into her: according to that of [Page 28] Anima verius est vhi amat, quā vbi animat. Augustine, The Soule is rather where it loueth then where it liueth. And so indeed it is with God, saith Bernard, Bern. sup. cant. serm. 59. Quia amorem non tam habet quam hoc ipse est, because hee cannot be said so much to haue loue, as to be euen loue it selfe. Hence it is, that he hath put off his roabes of Maiestie, and cloathed himselfe with our flesh, and so is become the same with his Church on earth, that his Church might become the same with him in hea­uen. Neuer louer so changed like him, and therefore neuer loue so vnchangeable as his.

Here then haue wee iust occasion ministred, to consider of the great­nes of his loue to the Church, who cals the Church his Loue. A theame, I confesse, admirably discussed by incomparable Diuines; after whom yet, giue mee leaue to throw my mite, and to say something of that, of which we can neuer say enough.

It is commonly seene, that loue [Page 29]is manifested foure wayes: First, by word of mouth, 1 and this is the least and smallest measure of shewing loue. Euery dissembler will loue ver­bo tenus, in tongue and in word, though not in deede and veritie. There is therefore a second degree, 2 and that is by bestowing benefits. And this is some point of loue in­deede. For, Greg. in E­uang. hom. 30. Probatio dilectionis ex­hibitio est operis, (saith Gregory) The commendation of true loue, is the performance of some good turne. But because gifts are some­times bestowed as much for selfe­loue, as for loue of a friend (when a man by giuing somewhat, hopes to receiue much more) therefore there is a third degree greater then the other, 3 and that is by personall seruice, when a man is not onely content to part with his goods, but to impart his labours, and suffer paine himselfe, that his Loue may inioy pleasure. And though this be as much as can be desired, 4 yet [Page 30]there is one degree further, and that is by suffering death for the party beloued. And here loue and all hath his end so that hee which hath this can desire no more.

Now all these wayes hath God loued his Church: for, first, how amiably doth hee vse her in words for her owne good? words of sweet Epithets, Can. 5.2. My Sister, my Loue, my Doue, my Vndefiled. Of kinde in­treaty; 2 Cor. 5.20. We pray you in Gods stead, euen as if God did beseech you through vs, that yee be reconciled vnto God. Of wholesome admonition; Ezek. 18.31. Cast away from you all your vngodlinesse, why will yee dye O yee house of Israel, seeing I haue no pleasure in the death of a sinner? Of sound aduise; Reuel. 3.18. I coun­sell thee to buy of mee, gold tryed by the fire, that thou maist be made rich. And lastly, of alluring prouocation; Mat. 11.29. Come vnto mee all yee that are hea­uie laden, and I will refresh you.

For the second: How hath hee spent his gifts vpon vs? In the Crea­tion [Page 31]hee gaue vs our selues, and all things necessary for our selues. He diuided his substance to man, his youngest sonne; and when hee like a prodigall had spent all, how did he receiue him againe? Sence. de ira, lib. 2. cap. 27. Nimis nos suspicimus, saith Seneca, si digni nobis videmur, &c. wee are too much in loue with our selues, if euer we ima­gine that we are worthy that the hea­uens should moue for vs, Sun and Moone shine to vs, raine and dew fall on vs, earth and sea feede and comfort vs. How much more then vnworthy are wee, that after all this, God should bestow his sonne on vs; his onely sonne on vs his fugitiue seruants? In the creation hee gaue vs the best things that he had, when as yet wee had nothing of our owne; but in the restauration hee makes an exchange with vs, In primis de suis meliora contulit in se­cundis de nostris inferiora sus­cepit. Aug. de Tempor. ser. 9. hee takes the worst things that wee haue, and hee giues vs the best things that he hath. Hee takes our nature, and giues vs his grace: hee takes our flesh, and [Page 32]giues vs his spirit: hee takes our mi­sery, and giues vs his mercy: he takes our pouerty, and giues vs his riches: hee takes our shame, and giues vs his glory: finally, hee takes our crosse, and giues vs his crowne: our death, and giues vs his life. For in giuing vs his Sonne, hee giues vs all things that can be desired. And neuer be­fore did God giue a gift like him­selfe, infinite: then hee did. Novv verily a most worthy gift, as hee is of most worth that is the giuer.

Thirdly, he hath not beene plea­sed alone to bestow benefites on vs, but in his owne person hath come and serued for vs, yea hath serued vs. Math. 20.28. The sonne of man came not to be ministred vnto but to minister, Math. 20.28. Euen hee which is Lord of all, made himselfe seruant vnto all. Bernard sup. cant ser. 64. Quae est ista quaeso vis, tam violenta ad victoriam, tam victa ad violentiam? saith Bernard: What force is that, which moued him who of himselfe is so violent in all victo­ry, [Page 33]for man yet, to be so vanquished with all violence. Id. ibid. Amor est. It is nothing else but the force of loue. This made him to Phil. 2.7. take on him the forme of a seruant. Philip. 2.7. Yea, Bernard ter. quart. Heb. poenos. non solum serui vt subesset, sed quasi mali serui vt vapularet, saith Bernard not the forme of a seruant onely to bee in subiection, but of a bad ser­uant to beare correction. And which is more yet, to be made a compani­on of beasts, borne in a Stable; and which is most of all, to bee made as it were prouender for beasts, laid in a manger. Bernard sup. cant. serm. Cibus hominis mutauit se in pabulum pecoris, homine mutato in pecus. When man was become a beast, Christ would become as it were prouender to feede him.

But all this Christ thought not inough for vs, vnlesse hee dyed for vs. So great a degree of loue, as there could bee no greater, which makes his loue so much more sweet, as the loosing of life it selfe is accounted bitter. For it is a truth, euen which [Page 34]comes from the author of vntruth; Iob 2.4. Skinne for skinne, and all that a man hath will hee giue for his life. Skinne for skinne, that is, the skinne or life of a mans children or cattell for his owne skinne, Lyran. annot. in Iob 2. as Lyra expounds it. Or skinne for skinne, that is, the more hard skinne for the more tender skinne; as when a man catcheth a blow on his hand to saue his eye, as Strab. in gloss. ordin. Strabus interprets it. For there is nothing that a man had not ra­ther endure then losse of life. Eue­ry creature, as August. de ciuit. dei. lib. 11. cap. 27. Augustine obserues, hath such a loue to haue a being, that it had rather be, though in mi­sery, then not be at all. Wonderfull therefore and vnspeakeable is the loue of Christ Iesus to his Church, who so willingly, and so ioyfully suf­fered euen the most shamefull and bitter death for her sake. Men may coldly and slightly thinke of it, but principalities and powers stand a­mazed at it.

That you may yet take a further [Page 35]view of it, compare his loue with the loue of other persons, and you shall see how farre hee goes before them all. Loue is most feruent among foure sorts of couples. 1. Betweene friend and friend, which are as one heart in two bodyes. 2. Betweene the parent and the childe, which are as two bodyes from one stocke. 3. Betweene the husband and the wife, which are as two persons in one flesh. 4. Betweene the body and the soule, which are as two substances in one person. Now the loue of Christ to his Church exceedes the loue of all these each to other.

First, it exceedes the loue that is betweene friend and friend. For what man is there which loues an­other so as he could be contented to dye for him? yes, Rom. 5.7. peraduenture, saith Paul, for a good man one would dye. It may be Damon would haue done it for Pythias, Pylades for O­restes. And this is as much as euer any man did, or can doe: For, Ioh. 15.15. grea­ter [Page 36]loue then this hath no man, that one should giue his life for his friend. But CHIRST, saith Paul, setteth forth his loue vnto vs, that Rom. 5.8. cum inimici essemus, when wee were his enimies hee was content to dye for vs. Rom. 5.8. Hee loued vs Bern. sup. cant. serm. 20. non existentes, imo & resistentes, saith Bernard, when wee were nothing, and when wee were worse then nothing; when wee were his very foes, and mortall enemies. If it bee said they are all Christs friends for whom he dyed, we must answere vvith a father, hee dyed indeed Bern. in Psal. Qui habitat? Pio iam amicis, nondum quidem amantibus, sed tamen iam amatis, for his friends indeede, as being heartily loued of CHRIST, though like vnkinde friends they loued him not againe. Tho. Aqui. in Iohannem, vti Barrad. to. 4 lib. 4. cap. 15. Non amici quasi amantes, saith Thomas, tantum amici vt amati. Not his friends as louing him any thing, onely his friends as loued by him alone.

Againe it exceedes the loue that is betweene the parent and the [Page 37]childe. For what father in the world hauing but one onely son, would be content to put him to death, he not deseruing it, to pleasure others? Esa. 49.14. Can a woman forget her child, & not think vpon the fruit of her wombe? You will say, Abraham would haue done it for loue to God. Indeede he is singular in this case, and such an example, as the vvorld neuer afforded the like. Origen in Genes. hom. 8. Origen sets it our thus. Genes. 22.2. Take, saith God thine onely son Isaac, whom thou louest, &c. Gense. 22.2. Esto domine, saith he, quia de filio commemor as pae­trem. Be it so Lord that thou puttest the father in minde of his son. Fulmen non minus terribile Abrahamo, quam si iubetur cor sibi cruere, imo se cum vni­uerso mundo in infernum praeci­pitare. Pareus in Gen. 22. This is one torture, to thinke, that the fa­ther must now become his childes butcher. Origen vt supra. Sed addis charissimum, &c. Thou addest thy dearest, or onely sonne, and not content with that, but sayest also Id. ibid. quem diligis, whom thou louest. It is likely that Abraham hauing beene so long without a sonne, was well affected towards him now he had him, but [Page 38]was this a fit time to put him in minde of his loue? Id. ibid. Sint et in hoc parenti triplicata supplicia. Let vs obserue here three tortures to the fathers minde, as so many daggers at his heart. But vvhat neede was there after all this, to name Isaac? did not the father know that this his sonne, his deare sonne, whom hee loued, was called Isaac? yes, and he remembred the promise to, Gen. 17.21. in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Gen. 17.21. yet God for­beares not to name him, that so Origen in Genes. ho. 8. Commemoratio nominis, might be desperatio promissionis: the remem­brance of his name, might be de­speration of the promise, by which he should not loose his childe one­ly, but his owne soule also, and not that alone, but the soules of all men in the world beside: such a triall neuer lay on any man before, nor neuer shall againe; and yet Abraham would haue done it.

But if you marke it, there is no [Page 39]comparison betweene the loue of Abraham to God, and the loue of GOD to man. For what equality betweene Isaac a young lad, and Christ the eternall sonne of God? Againe Isaac must haue dyed once, for he ought God a death, Omnia quae de Christo legeris non necessitate, sed sponte facta reperies. Origen in Gen. hom. 8. Christ had no such necessitie, being debter to no man. Isaac sitting, bare a lit­tle wood on his necke; Christ walk­ing carryed an heauy crosse on his shoulders, and bare that which bare him, fainting vnder it, and dying vpon it. Isaac had a Ramme sacri­ficed for him, held by the hornes in a bush; Christ was the Ramme himselfe, held by the hornes, Quid est enim haerere cornibus, nisi crucifigi? Aug. in Psal. 30. whilst hee was nayled to the Crosse, and his head in the bush, whilst the bush­es were on his head, whilst hee was crowned with thornes. Lastly, Isaac should haue suffred in a mountaine, where none should haue seene him; it stood Gen. 22.4. three dayes iourney off. Christ suffred afterward in the Hieronimus presbyter scripsit ab antiquis et senioribus Iudae is, se certis­sime cognouisse, quod ibi immola­tus sit Isaac, vbi postea Christus crucifixus sit. Aug. de temper. ser. 71. same mountaine, as some thinke, or not [Page 40]farre from it, as is most certaine, and was held in his suffrings three dayes and three nights together.

Thirdly, the loue of God to his Church exceedes the loue that is betweene the husband and the wife. For Quis enim potest sic ducere, vt moriatur pro ea quam vult ducere? Si enim mori pro ea quā vult ducere, volucrit, non crit qui ducat. Securus autem ille pro sponsa mortuus est. quam resurgens erat ducturus. Aug. in Ps. 122. what man being to marry, would chuse a deformed, blacke, and adulterous wife? Or hauing chosen such a one in marriage, would loue her so much as to dye for her? Yet Christ hath done so for his Church his Church so adulterous, so defor­med. Therefore hee is said, when she was Ezek. 16.16. polluted in her bloud▪ to Ib. vers. 9. wash her with water, and annoint her with oyle. When she was naked and bare, to Ezek. 16.13. decke her with broy­ded worke of gold, siluer, and fine linnen. When shee was Ezek. 16.8. cast out, to take her vp, and to enter into a couenant with her, and make her his owne. Ezek. 16.8. Therefore, this his marriage with his Church, saith Per nuptias Moysi nuptiae verbi ostende­bantur, et per Aethyopissam coniugem Ec­clesiam. Irenae. lib. 4. cap 37. Irenaeus, was like the marriage of Moyses with the Ethiopian black­more. [Page 41]The one bride was as defe­ctiue in grace, as the other defor­med in nature. But Christ did more for his spouse, then euer Moyses could doe for his Bride, as Bernard notes, Bernard dom. 1. post, Octa. Epiph. serm. 2. Moyses Aethyopissam quan­dam duxit vxorem sed eius non potuit mutare colorem, &c. Moyses mar­ried a certaine blacke Ethyopian, but was not able to change her skinne from blacke to white; But Christ tooke to him a Spouse that was farre more ignoble and filthy, and by washing her with his owne bloud, hath made her a chast Vir­gin to himselfe, without spot or wrinckle.

Lastly, it exceedes the loue that is betweene the body and the soule; betwixt which yet, there is so great loue, that the one grieues to part with the other: yea, euen in the most sanctified men, there is a kinde of reluctation against death, the soule shrinkes at the bodies disso­lution. For that which Ierome tells [Page 42]of holy Hierm. in vita Hilarion, Hilarion, saying to his soule thus, Egredere, quid times? egre­dere anima mea quid dubitas? Goe out my soule, goe out, what fearest thou? what doubtest thou? that de­clares a kinde of vnwillingnesse which nature hath to come to dis­solution; and that death is, Bern. super Cant. ser. 26. as Ber­nard cals it, Horrendum diuortium; a most wofull separation, not onely of the dead from the liuing, but of the dead from himselfe. Yet Christ most willingly suffered this most grieuous partition and separation of his body and soule asunder, that hee might ioyne vs to God, that were separate from him, and our selues to.

Finally, what shall I say? so much was Christ transported beyond himselfe, or (to speake more pro­perly) so much brought short of himselfe by loue, that he Exinaniuit se­ipsum. Phil. 2.7. emptied himselfe of all respect, and made himselfe as nothing at all. Euen hee which at first made all things of [Page 43]nothing, did afterwards make no­thing of himselfe. Nazianzen cals loue Nazian orat. 28. in Maxim. dulcem tyrannum, a sweet ty­rant. And Bern. super Cant. ser. 64. Bernard saith, Triumphat de Deo amor, Loue triumphed ouer the van­quished. O strange triumph! Quis triumphantis currus? What chariot had this Conquerour thus to tri­umph in? Sanè Crux, no other chariot but the Crosse. Here Loue displayed his Banner, and hung vp his Scutcheon, a bleeding heart for our miserie, vnfolded armes for our imbracing, a bended head to incline to vs, goared hands, head, feet, and side, to heale vs. So that if you aske what hard-heart bound Christ with fetters, scourged him with whips, crowned him with thornes, pierced him with speare, and fastned him with nayles, himselfe will answere: Loue.

[Page 44]Hither hath the tyrant Loue brought me downe to liue a con­temptible & a poore life: here hath the tyrant Loue fastned mee to die an ignominious and a shamefull death. D. Wals. ser. life and death of Christ. O the loue it selfe of none, but of such a one as is Loue it selfe!

Wilt thou now be partaker of this great loue of GOD? Loue him and thou hast it. For this is the rule of loue, Isidor. Pelus. lib. 2. epist. 148. [...]. Hee which desires much loue, must himselfe shew much loue. Nazian. Apo­lo. 1. Ne (que) enim quicquam ad amo­rem ita firmum est, vt beneuolentia mutuo repensa, saith Nazianzen; There is not any thing so strong to draw affection of others, as when a man sends forth good affections in himselfe. Loue is the Load-stone of Loue. And therefore how can wee chuse, vnlesse we be more hard then iron, but wee must returne GOD some loue, that hath bestow­ed so much on vs first? Ierome saith [Page 45] Hieron. ad Celunt. Nihil imperiosius charitate, Nothing is more imperious and comman­ding then loue; it will force a man in whom it is, to make some testi­monie of his good heart to GOD. 2 Cor. 5.14. Charitas Dei vrget nos, saith Paul, The very loue of GOD constrai­neth vs, 2 Cor. 5.14.

O how should wee abound in that vertue which Paul cals, Rom. 13.8. The fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.8. Iames, Iames 2.17. The life of Faith, Iam. 2.17. Chrysostome and Ierome, Chrysost. in Mat. hom. Hieron aduers. Iohan. Hierosoly. ad Theop. The mo­ther of all vertues. Fulgentius, Necest alia quae sit vera sa­pientia, &c. Fulgent de praedest. lib 1. The whole wisedome of the reasonable crea­ture. And Augustine, August ad Cae­lestin. epist. 62. A common debt, that can neuer be cleared, but that a man must be paying of it still. Ibid. Semper debeo Charitatem (saith hee) quae sola etiam reddita, semper detinet debitorem. I am euer in debt with charitie (and therefore we are commanded to Rom. 13.8. owe it) vvhich though I pay neuer so oft▪ yet I am commanded to owe it still. But here is the comfort of it, the more a [Page 46]man payes it to others, the more hee keepes it to himselfe. For, as Tully could tell vs Cic. pro Cn. Plane. vti habet A. Gell. lib. 1. cap. 3. Dissimilis est pe­cuniae debitio & gratiae: There is no likenesse betweene paying money and paying loue. For, a man cannot pay money vnlesse hee haue it; and when hee hath paid it, hee hath it not: but a man cannot haue loue vnlesse he pay it, and the more he payes it the more he hath it. There­fore, let vs not be such misers and hucksters of our loue, as the men of the world be of their money, but let it flow forth amaine from vs vnto God.

And as part of our loue, let vs spend some time in considering what CHRIST hath suffered for vs. Marke how the Church speakes to each faithfull soule, Cant. 3.11. Cant. 3.11 Come forth yee daughters of Zion, behold your King Solomon, with the Crowne wherewith his mother crow­ned him in the day of his marriage, in the day of the gladnes of his heart. [Page 47]That is, O yee faithfull soules, daughters of your Mother the Church, Come forth, Bern. in Epi­pha. ser. 2. Egredimini de sensu carnis ad intellectum mentis: Come forth out of the sense of the flesh, to the vnderstanding of the minde: Come I say, a little out of your selues, and by holy medita­tion, Behold your King Solomon, your true Eph. 2.14. peace-maker, and your King to, Christ Iesus: who, Licet enim reg­num eius non sit de hoc mundo, tamen rex est in hoc mundo. Bern. vt supra. though his kingdome be not of this world, yet is a King euen in this world, With the Crowne wherewith his mother crowned him, that is, with the crowne of thornes vpon his head, where­with his mother the Synagogue, Bern. paru. ser. ser. 6. Quae ei se non matrem exhibuit, sed nouercam, which proued not her selfe to him a kinde mother, but a cruell stepdame: Crowned him, that is, Tertul. de co­ron. milit. faedauit, & lancinauit, saith Tertullian, gashed him, and goared him, In the day of his marriage, that is, in the day of his passion vpon the Crosse, when hee was marryed to [Page 48]his Church built out of his side, as Adam to his Eue created of his rib. In the day of the gladnesse of his heart, that is, in the very season of his suffering, which was as ioyfull to him, as a geniall and nupriall day to a Bridegrome. Come forth I say, see him, consider of him, medi­tate on him, Bernard. in festo omn. Sanct. ser. 5. Pudeat sub spinato capite membrum fieri delicatum; and let it shame you vnder an head so crowned with thornes, to be as members of wanton and delicate nicenesse.

The same thing which the Church desires of her members, himselfe desires of his Church, Cant. 8.6. Set me as a seale on thine heart, and as a signet on thine arme, Cant. 8.6. words by some attributed to the Church, but by the Ambrose. Gregory. Aponius. Cassiodor. Beda. Bernard. Vide etiam Tuccium. Sotto maio. Ghisterium, & alios ad loc. Fathers applyed to CHRIST, wherein hee desires her continually to remember him. As if hee had said: My dearest, though I am now going from thee for a time, yet forget mee not, but [Page 49]as a louing wife, frames the Image of her deare husband in her heart; and as a Tucci. Lucens. annot. Cincin. pag. 378. longing woman imprints the forme of the thing which shee longs for on the childe in her wombe; so set me as a seale on thy soule, thinke on me, delight in me, And as that famous Id. ib. Artemisia so much affected her dead husband Mausolus, that shee tooke the dead ashes of his vrne, and mingled them with her drinke, and so intombed his dead carke is within her liuing body; so doe thou my Spouse, haue mee euer within thee, eate me and drinke me in the Sacrament, let me be in thine heart, and on thine arme, in thy intention, in thy operation, within thee, without thee, euery where, and at all times, let mee be loued and thought on, on earth, as I am care­full of thee in heauen. Let vs then, ô let vs fulfill his desire now, that hee may accomplish all our desires hereafter. And so much of this.

My Doue.

THAT the Doue signifies the Church, beside the iudgement of wise Esdras saying, 2 Esdr. 5.26. Of all the fowles that are created thou hast na­med thee one Doue, 2 Esdr. 5.26. and besides the testimonie of Christ himselfe, calling her his Doue, Cant. 2.10. & Cant. 2.14. & Cant. 5.2. & Cant. 6.8. foure times at least in this booke: the due resemblance which that creature hath with Christs Spouse, doth most sufficiently declare. Due resemblance two manner of wayes, in her seuerall members of body, and her naturall practise of life.

For her members: in at least sixe of them she sweetly resembles the Church. Beginne we with her Bill, which is all the weapon that shee hath; Bern. super Cant. serm. 59. Rostro non loedit, saith Ber­nard, shee hurts no body with it. With other Birds the Bill is guiltie of two horrible crimes, capine and [Page 51]crueltie: for with the Kyte, Alciat. embl. 128. rostrū is rastrū, her beake a rake to scratch all store of prouision together: whereupon shee is made the Pierius lib. 17. hie­roglyphicke of a rauenous Extor­tioner. With Crowes and Rauens, the beake is a bodkin, to picke out the eyes of young Lambes and o­ther harmlesse Creatures. But with the Doue it is quite contrary; her weapon harmes not, Cypr. de vnita. Eccles. Non morsibus saeuum (saith Cyprian) it bites not to hurt: but which is more, it is the member of true concord, and the instrument of chaste loue: for, Doues wooe by the Bill; whence comes the phrase in Seneca, Senes. epist. 114. colum­bari labris, to giue mutuall kisses each to other. Thus fares it vvith the Church; hurt shee doth none, euen in her greatest strength. Isay 11.9. None hurts nor destroyes in all mine holy Mountaine, saith God, Isay 11.9. Hurts not, but which is more, with her weapons doe good, Isay. 2.4. Turnes Swords into Mattockes, and Speares [Page 52]into Sythes, making weapons of cru­eltie to be instruments of Cha­ritie.

Passe wee forth from her Bill to her voyce, because her voyce pas­seth forth from her Bill. It is diffe­rent from the voyce of all Birds. For all other Birds are said Canere, to sing, she Nec gemere atreacessabit turtur ab vlmo. Virg. Et cosius turtur at (que) columba ge­munt. Ouid. gemere, to mourne: there­fore the voyce of mourning is cal­led the voyce of Doues, Nah. 2.7. Nahum 2.7. Huzzah shall be led away cap­tiue, and her maides shall leade her as with the voyce of Doues. Such is the voyce of the Church, euen a voyce of mourning and sad lamenting. Hence Christ, Cant. 2.12. Vox Turturis au­dita est in terra nostra, Can. 2.12. The voyce of the Turtle is heard in our Land; which is, when Rom. 8.23. wee, which haue the first fruits of the Spirit, doe mourne in our selues, waiting for the Adoption, euen the redemption of our body, Rom. 8.23. Thus Isa. 38.14. Hezekiah of himselfe; I did mourne as a Doue, Isa. 38.14. Thus Isa. 59.11. Isay of himselfe [Page 53]and others, We all mourne like doues, Isa. 59.11.

And as God commanded in the Law, to offer Luc. 2.24. Par turturum, a paire of Turtles, Ibid. & duos pullos columbinos, two yong Pigions: so in the Gospell, the righteous doe Bonau. in Luc. 2.14. geminare gemi­tum, mourne doubly. First, for their owne sinnes. Psal. 6.6. Psal. 6.6. I faint in my mourning, euery night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares. And this must be done, because it is not enough, saith Anselm. lib. de simil. cap. 102. Anselme, Vt se cognoscat quis peccatorem, nisi inde habeat & dolorem; for a man to know himselfe a sinner, vnlesse al­so hee shew himselfe to be a sor­rower. But if hee grieue for his sin, then his sin shall neuer grieue him. Chrys. in Mat. hom. 6. Sicut euim post vehementes imbres, &c. (saith Chrysostome) Euen as af­ter most vehement stormes the Sunne shines most faire; Ita etiam lachrymarum plunias serenitas mentis sequitur; Euen so after bitter teares there followes a pleasant calme, and [Page 54]an heauenly Sun-shine in the con­science.

Secondly, for the sinnes of other men, Psal. 119.136. Psal. 119.136 Mine eyes gush out with water, because men keepe not thy Law. To which purpose sweet­ly August. ad Se­bast. epist. 145. Augustine, Pia est ista tristitia, & si dici potest, beata miseria, vitijs aliorum tribulari, non implicari, moe­rere, non harere, &c. That is a godly sorrow, and if I may so say, a blessed misery, for a man to be partaker of sorrow for another mans sinne, not to partake of the sinne it selfe; to ioyne in mourning for it, not in committing of it. And this is not one of the least persecu­tions which a good man finds in this world; Because, Aug. vt supra. Coram pio, viuens impie, etsi non obligat consentientem, cruciat sentientem: Whilest the wic­ked man liues ill before the good mans face, though the good mans hand toucheth not the sin, yet the sin toucheth the good mans heart; and anothers committing of it goes [Page 55]neare to him that is farre from com­mitting of it himselfe. Therefore Cypr. ad lapsos §. 3. Cyprian writes thus to them that fell in time of persecution; Doleo fratres, doleo, nec mihi ad leniendos dolores integritas propria, & sanitas priuata blanditur: O my brethren, weepe I must with you, and for you: for to stay my griefe is neither able the sincerity of my soule, nor sound­nesse of my body. And Bernard. de consid lib. Bernard to Eugenius; si doles condoleo, si non doles doleo: If thou be sory I am sory with thee, if thou be not sory I am sory for thee.

See we now her Eyes: and these are both attentiue against euill, and intentiue toward good. Attentiue against euill; Orig. in Leuit. hom. 3. Idem & Greg. in Cant. 5. Ferunt Columbas cum ad aquas venerint, &c. saith Origen, The report is that the Doue com­ming to the water, espies there the shadow of her enemy the Hawke, and so, Oculorum perspicacia, by the quicke sight of her eye auoids the danger. So, the Church comming [Page 56]to the Scripture, which is, the Cant. 4.15. Fountaine of the gardens, the Well of liuing waters, and the Springs of Lebanon, Cant. 4.15. findes there the traines of her arch-enemie the Diuell, and accordingly escapes them. Happy man that is euer sit­ting on the banckes of these waters, euer hauing his eyes fixed in this cleare fountaine, which may serue him as a glasse to see his faults and his fals, both the sinne of his soule, and the punishment of his sinne, and so eschew the perill. The Lauer that was set vp by Moyses in the Taber­nacle, was made of the peoples Glasses, Exod. 38.8. Exod. 38.8. so as that which at first shewed them their blemishes, did afterwards afford them water to wash them off. Such a Lauer is the Scripture, that when it hath once made the blemish ap­peare, yeelds also matter to purge vs from it. Here then let vs continu­ally fixe our eyes, that it may be said of each Christian, as the Church [Page 57]saith of Christ. Cant. 5.12. Cant. 5.12. His eyes are like the Doues vpon the riuers of waters.

Againe, the Doues eyes are in­tentiue to her good. For ordinari­ly they are cast vpward, and fixed toward heauen: there being this difference between the Doue and the Swine, hee cloaseth his eyes with the vpper lid, and so is blinde toward heauen; shee with the nea­ther lid, and so is blinde toward earth. And when she drinkes at the brooke, she casts vp a looke to hea­uen in token of thankfulnesse for the same. Such eyes hath the Church. Cant. 1.14. Oculi tui columbarum, saith Christ, thine eyes are like the Doues. Cant. 1.14. Like the Doues, Bernard sup. cant. serm. 45. id est, spirituales▪ saith Bernard, spi­rituall eyes. Not deceiued with the faire shewes of temporall vanities, but delighted with the glorious beauty of celestiall verities, saith Theod. ad loc. Theodoret. These eyes Bern. in sent. Bernard saith are two, Rerum labentium con­sideratio, [Page 42]&c. Coelestis patriae digna aestimatio. One, a due consideration of the ficklenesse of our earthly ta­bernacle; The other, a worthy va­luation of the permanency of our heauenly country. With this lat­ter eye, shee hath wounded Christs heart. Can. 4.9. Cant. 4.9. Thou hast wounded mine heart with one of thine eyes, and a chaine of thy necke.

Let vs then, O let vs giue our selues to meditation, and often study of heauenly things. For, so much as wee see by diuine meditation, so much wee see indeede. Periand. in Ausonio. [...], saith Periander. Meditation is all in all August. in speculo peccatoris. Meditatio, mentis ditatio, saith Augustine, Meditation is the inriching of the minde. Bernard de consider. lib. 1. Haec men­tem purificat, regit affectus, dirigit actus, &c. This, saith Bernard, puri­fies the minde, rules the affections, gouernes the actions, frames the manners, orders the life. And hee which spends not some part of his life this quiet way, casteth his whole [Page 59] Tam pio, tam (que) vtili considera­tionis otio, nullā in vita dare operam nonne vitam perdere est? Bern. vtsup. life quite away. No meruaile then, if there bee so many poore soules in the world, seeing they regard not to inrich themselues with contem­plation. No meruaile, if so many loose their liues in businesse, and toyles of things earthly▪ seeing they regard not to spend their liues in meditation, and study of things hea­uenly.

Next followes her Necke: com­mendable two wayes: For strength, for beautie. For strength, for if there be any force in her bill, either for defence, or offence, it comes from her necke. For beautie, be­cause, that, of all parts of her body casts out the most radiant hew, ac­cording to Nero his verse in Seneca.

The necke of Ʋenus doues shines bright when it moues. Thus the Churches necke is most strong, most comely. Wherevpon he saith ⁱ Thy necke is like a tower of Iuory. [Page 60]Cant. 7.4. Lyra ad loc. Cant. 7.4. Firmum, or, rectum ad modum turris, album ad modum ebo­ris, saith Lyra. Strong, or straight after the manner of a tower, white or beauteous after the manner of iuory.

Now the necke of the Church, through which the voyce passeth out, and the meate passeth in, and by whom the body and head are coupled together, are the Per collum Spousae praedi­catores Sanctae Ecclesiae desig­nantur. Greg. in Cant. 1. Aponius. in Cant. 7. Serab. in gloss. ordinar. ad Cant. 7. etalij. Mini­sters and Preachers of Gods word. They are the voyce both of head and body. Of the head Christ, when they preach his word to the Church Of the body the Church, when they put vp her prayers to Christ. They are the throate, Cassiod. in Cant. 4. quia accep­tos verbi dei cibos nutriendo corpori transmittunt, saith Cassiodore, be­cause they receiue the meate of in­struction first of all themselues, and then conuay it into the bowels of others. These are beautifull, be­cause they adorne others with wholesome doctrine; and strong, [Page 61] Strab. ad loc. quia exemplo, vitae, alios muniunt, because they confirme and streng­then others by good example.

The very same thing is signified by her Wings: which are not ordi­nary, but rare, like the wings of a Phoenix. This Doue, saith Dauid, Psal. 68.13. is couered with siluer wings, and her feathers like gold. Psal. 68.13. Where by the way, noate, that in Palestina, Sebast. Barrad con­cord. Eu. to. 2. lib. 1. cap. 15. as I reade, were faire large white doues, whose feathers toward their backe looked yealowish, and so as white, had the colour of siluer, and as yealowish, the colour of gold. For which goodlinesse, in part, they of Assyria worshipped the doue, as the Poet insinuates:

Now, Strab. in gloss. ord. ad Psal. 67. alae columbae, doctores eccle­siae saith one. The doues siluered fea­thers, are the Churches siluer head­ed fathers. For as the wings of a doue beare vp the whole bulk of her body, from the earth into the aire; so the Pastors and Teachers of the [Page 62]Church beare vp the whole body thereof, from earthly conceits to heauenly meditations: truely there fore called Psal. 68.13. Pennae argentatae, Pennes and that of siluer. Pennes, Psal. 45.2. because they declare the minde of the holy Ghost. Psal. 45.2. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Siluer pennes, August. in Psal. 67. Quia diuinis eloquijs eruditi, saith Augustine, because they shine with the brightnes of Gods word, which is Psal 12.7. as siluer tryed seauen times in the fire. Psal. 12.6. With the helpe of these wings the doue of Christs Church flyes the net of the fowler, and mounts vp to her neast in hea­uen. Therefore when the Dragon, the Diuell, would haue deuoured the woman, the Church, Reu. 12.14. wings were giuen her, Pastors bestowed on her, to carry her into a place of rest and security. Reu. 12.14.

Wherefore, let these siluer wings of the doue, be like the golden wings of the Seraphins: 2 Chro. 3.11. as these were con­tinually extended out in the top of [Page 63]the Temple: so let the other be al­wayes stretched out in the middest of the Church. And as the seraphins wings were so ordered that one touched another, so let the pastors of the Church be so animated that one second another. To conclude, let each wing of the Church bee as the Ezek. 1.34. wings of Ezekiels beasts, which sent out from them the voyce of speach, like the voyce of the Almighty. Ezek. 1.24. Let them preach diligently. For a dumbe Minister is as a clipt wing, which lets the body fall, when hee should make it flye. Such were the false Prophets among the Iewes▪ Ierem. 2.34. Ierem. 2.34. In thy wings is found the blood of the soules of the poore in­nocents. And such is euery lasie Pa­stor, who being Gods messenger, yet saith nothing for him, but liues as it were possessed with a dumbe Diuell. Of euery such, a man may say, as Blesensis said of Richard of Canter­burie the Popes Legate, Blesens. ad Richar. Cant. Epi. 5. Hee is li­gatus, potius quam legatus. Not an [Page 64]eloquent embassador, but a tongue­tyed mumbler.

Lastly, the Doue hath no gall. Such is the common iudgement of all men: vpon the truth of it I will not stand, but take it as I finde it; yet all auncient writers, saith Pierius, Pierius hieroglyp. lib. 22. are of opinion that she hath none; or if any, in vropygio esse tradunt, they thinke it to bee in the lower part of her chine: but Diuines, I am sure are wholly this way, that shee wants it. Hieron. in Psal. 54. Sine felle, & a malitia fel­lis alienum, saith Ierome: without gall, or any bitternesse of malice. Cyprian. de vnitat. Eccles. Item Chrysost. in Mat. hom. 12. et in Genes. hom. 26. et Bed. commen. in Mar. 1. Non felle amarum, non morsibus sae­num, saith Cyprian, Not bitter in gall nor violent in biting.

Which made the Graecians, Pierius hierog. lib. 22. when they went about to expresse the image of meekenesse, to name [...], the quiet & stil doue, and to say of a most patient man, Columbae mansuetior. [...], in the same sense. And this, some thinke vvas the reason, why Dauid being much [Page 65]disquieted in minde about the false­hood of some of his friends in Sauls court, cryed out, Psal. 55.6. O that I had wings like a Doue, for then would I flie away, and be at rest. Nazianz. orat. in Sanct. baptis. et Nicet. Scholi. ibidem. Not wish­ing for Eagles vvings vvhich are more lofty, nor for Hawkes wings which are more liuely, because, these indeed vvould carry a man away, but not bring him to rest, quietnesse being purchased, not so much by departing from our ene­mye that is about vs, as by fleeing from the enimitie that is within vs.

Such a Doue is the Church. As the one hath not the bitternesse of gall, no more hath the other the gall of bitternesse. Cyprian de vnitat. Eccl. In domo dei, in Ecclesia Christi, vnanimes habitant, saith Cyprian, concordes et simplices perseuerant. In Gods house, which is Christes Church, men are of one minde, holding out in simpli­city and concord. Their guide is the spirit of God, Wisd. 8.16. whose company hath no bitternesse, nor fellowship [Page 66]tediousnesse. §ap. 8.16. As for the viperous brood of malignant mis­creants, that breath out nothing but treacherous conclusions, and subuerting stratagems, they are of the sinagogue of Satan, and of the faction of Antichrist. Deut. 32.32. Their vine is of the vine of Sodome, and of the vines of Gomorrhah, their grapes are grapes of gall; their clusters be bitter. Their wine is of the poyson of Dragons, and the cruell gall of Aspes, Deut. 32.32, Such sauour not of Simon Peter, but of Simon Magus, of whom it is said, that hee was fallen, Act. 8.23. [...]. Act. 8.23. Into the gall of bitternesse, and bond of iniquitie.

Wherefore let vs follow Christs Doue in simplicitie, not Satans Ser­pent in subtiltie. In our Baptisme GOD sends his Doue, that is, his spirit to vs; as the Doue came downe at the baptisme of CHRIST. Now then, saith Chryso. in Mat. hom. 12. Chrisostome, Quam veuiam sperare poterimus, si ad ser­pentem [Page 67]currimus post Columbam? What pardon can wee hope for, if leauing the innocency of Doues, we runne to borrow poyson of the ser­pent? And thus you see, how the Doue resembles the Church in the seuerall parts of her body. See it now in the practise of her life.

The practise of her life is sute­able to the properties of her nature; and her properties of nature resem­ble the Church diuers wayes. First, in respect of matrimoniall fidelitie. Wherein of all Doues the Turtle is most excellent. Bern. super Cant. serm. 59. Compare vno con­tenta est, saith Bernard, quo amisso, alterum iam non admittit. She con­tents her selfe with one mate, who being lost, shee rests continually a widow. And for more credence herein, Bern. vt sup. you may see her, sanctae vi­duitatis opus strenue, & infatigabiliter exequentem, euery where executing and performing the office of holy widdowhood stoutly and resolutly: Euery where alone, euery where [Page 68]mourning, at no time sitting on greene boughes, but on the withe­red tops of trees, or on the house, Id. ibid. Ʋirentia vt virulenta fugit. Such pleasant mansions she hates as poy­son. Such a faithfull doue is the Church, who being in this life a pro­fessour of holy widowhood sets her heart wholly on Christ her dead husband, mournes after him, aspires to him, and takes delight in nothing beside.

2 Secondly, in respect of her man­ner of building. For the doue com­monly makes her nest in a strong and sure place, and therefore chu­seth the holes of a rocke, or some hollow receptacle of a Church or house. Thus builds Chirsts Spouse. Cant. 214. Cant. 2.14. Columba mea in forami­nibus petrae, My doue that art in the holes of the rocke, &c. Now the generall opinion of the Fa­thers, is, that Vide Michael. Ghislerium ad locum. Cant. 2.14. vulnera Christi are foramina petrae, the wounds of Christ the holes of the rocke. In them [Page 69]the Church builds her defence, they are meritorious, with them she fea­thers her neast, they are plentious. Shee neyther builds with the sticks of mans free-will, nor daubes with the dirt of mans good deserts, nor couers with the mosse of his ima­gined Supererogations: but goes into the rocke as she findes it open, and there receiues rest and securitie against all feares. Bernard sup. Cant-serm. 61. Quid non boni in petra? (saith Bernard) what good can I not hope for in the rocke? In petra exaltatus, in petra securus, in petra firmiter sto: In the rocke I am exalted and lifted towards heauen, in the rocke secured and freed from earth, in the rocke I stand firmely; securus ab hoste, fortis a casu; with­out fright of foe, or feare of falling.

Thirdly, in respect of faecunditie or fruitfulnesse: Arist. hist. anim. lib. 5. cap. 13. Aristotle saith, 3 that the Doue breedes tenne times, or eleuen times in the yeere: yea, which is strange, by Plin. nat. hist. lib. 10. cap. 58. Plinies acount, shee breedes thirteene or foure­teene [Page 70]times in the yeer. For in Sum­mer time, within two moneths shee brings forth three paire, in so much as in the same neast, you may see diuers sorts of young ones, alios pro­uolantes, alios erumpentes, some rea­dy to flye, some but breaking the shell. Hence, as some thinke, she is call, Scalig. Pierius & alij. Columba, quia colit lumbos saepe parturiendo: for her often bree­ding. Such a carefull breeder is the Church, who brings forth children in abundance, Greg. Moral. lib. 19.24. Et crescentes filios (saith Gregory) quasi plumescentes pullos, charitatis gremio fonet, &c. and keepes her new borne babes in Christ, like young Pigeons in the bosome of Charitie, as it were in a safe nest till by Faith they be able to flye vp to God in heauen. Thus was it prophesied to this Bride; Psal. 45.17. Psal. 45.17. In stead of thy Fathers thou shalt haue children, whom thou maist make Princes in all lands. And there­fore the Prophet in admiration saith; Isa. 49.18. Lift vp thine eyes round about, [Page 71]and behold all these gather themselues together, and come to thee. As I liue saith the Lord, thou shalt put them all vpon thee as a garment, and gird thy selfe with them as a Bride. Behold, I will lift vp mine hands to the Gentiles, and set vp my Standard to the people, and they shall bring thy Sonnes in their armes, and thy daughters shall be car­ryed vpon their shoulders, Isa. 49.18. &c. And thus much for the third Epithet, My Doue: Come we to the fourth.

My Vndefiled.

THE word signifies Immaculata. without spot, and by consequence pitre. This puritie of the Church is two­folde: Of imputation, of action: that, purity before God; this, before men. All her puritie is imputed, whereof some shee hath to iustifie, and some to sanctifie. Psal. 45.13. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within, her [Page 72]soule is precious through imputed righteousnesse; and yet, her cloathing is of wrought gold: her life is con­spicuous with outward holinesse.

All her purenesse before God is giuen vnto her of God. He it is that hath made her, Ephes. 5.27. a chaste virgin, not hauing spot or wrinckle, or any such thing, Ephes. 5.27. And this he hath done, by hiding her euill with the garment of his goodnesse. For, as in himselfe hee couered the diuine vertue with the vaile of our flesh; so in vs he couers the humane in­firmitie with the grace of his spirit. Whereupon shee sings. Isa. 61.10. Hee hath cloathed me with the garment of sal­uation, and couered me with the roabe of righteousnesse. Isa. 61.10. If any man say, Christs garment is his owne, Bern. super. Cant. ser. 61. Bernard tels vs, Non est breue pallium, quod non possit operire duos, It is not so short a cloake, but it may couer him and the Church to.

And after Christ hath cloathed [Page 73]her with his righteousnesse, she de­files herselfe no more with any old pollutions, but shines forth in the midst of the darknesse of impietie, with the heauenly workes of true Christianitie. Cant. 2.2. Like the Lilly among the Thornes, so is my Loue among the Daughters, Cant. 2.2. And hence it is, that CHRIST himselfe acknow­ledgeth of her, Cant. 4.7. Thou art all fayre, my Loue, thou art all fayre, and there is no spot in thee, Cant. 4.7.

But here take heede of an opini­on of too much perfection, and too much puritie: the one hatched by the Fryers of Rome, the other by the Brethren of Amsterdam. For, they arrogate to the Church the greatest height of perfection; these reiect from the Church the least blemish of infirmitie. The first, an error of presumptuous pride; the second a conceit of preposterous zeale.

That they of Rome hold, that Aquin. 22. quae. 184. a. 2. perfection may be attained in this [Page 74]life, it is euident by their writings: and that not onely, Bellar. de mo­nac. lib. 2. cap. 2. Item Aquin. p. 22. quae. 184.2.6. Monkes be in a state of perfection adipiscendae, to be attained vnto; Bishops and Pre­lates in a state of perfection, adeptae, attained already; and by conse­quence, that their Church cannot erre: but that also all other men, which are regenerate, are perfect, we haue their Concil. Trid. Sess. 5. §. 5. Councell auerring the point, In renatis nihil odit Deus, God hates nothing in the regene­rate. Now if God hate nothing in them, then haue they no sinne, and to haue no sinne is the greatest per­fection that can be.

Againe, they of Amsterdam dreame of too much puritie of a Church, and therefore they sepa­rate themselues from the true spouse of Christ, because of some preten­ded blemishes, and frame to them­selues a Donatisticall conuenticle; chusing for the loue of an imagi­ned puritie, to become obstinate and vaine-glorious Puritanes. But [Page 75]alas what comes of it? whilest they would be the onely Church, they become indeede no Church. Petrus Bles [...]ns. epist. 12. Qui­dam insipientiam simulando sapiunt: (saith one) quidam nimis sapiendo desipiunt: Some men by the shew of folly are wise; and others againe by shewing their wisedome become fooles. And what else doe these men by all their endeuours, but bewray their owne folly, whilest they make of a remedy to vs, a disease to them­selues? For our part, wee know the difference betweene the Church mi­litant, and the Church triumphant, August. ad Glor. epist. 162. Illa in terris non amittit nisi malos, haec in coelum non admittit nisi bonos: The one looseth none but bad men from her on earth, the other re­ceiues none but good men to her in heauen. The Church militant may haue her imperfections, but must not therefore be forsaken. It is her owne request, Cant. 1.6. Nolite consi­derare me quod fusca sim, Cant. 1.6. Esteeme mee not so much for [Page 76]my brownnesse, as for my sound­nesse. And therefore for our part, wee had rather be of the browne Church, then of Brownes Church; rather defiled in something as wee stand, then filed away to nothing as they be; their reformation being like childrens pilling of an Onion, pilling alway till all be pilled away.

Leauing therefore both these, let vs goe the middle way, and that we may haue an vndefiled Congre­gation, let vs striue to haue an vn­defiled conuersation. For our Church is not stained with the lies of her foes, but with the liues of her friends, Bern. super Cant. ser. 33. Omnes amici, inimici, and, necessarij, aduersarij; They are her friends that most fight against her, and her mothers sonnes that are most Cant. 1.5. angry at her, Cant. 1.5. Shee may say with Dauid Psal. 51.2. Peccatum meū contra me semper. It is my sinne, my sinne that hurts mee. Bern. Dom. adu. ser. 6. Pecca­tum, morbus animae, & corruptio mentis. Sinne it is, that is the soules [Page 77]sore, and the minds misery. And therefore God complaines of his Church, Isa. 1.6. From the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head, there is no soundnesse, but wounds of swelling, and sores of corruption. Bern. Nulla sanitas, quia nulla sanctitas, No vvholenesse, because no holinesse.

Couetousnesse is like a thirsty dropsie. For euen as men sicke of an hydropicall disease, Chrysost. in Matth. hom. 64. non solum non extingunt ardorem potu, verum etiam incendunt, sayth Chrysostome, by drinking are so farre from alay­ing their heate, that the more they drinke, the more they may. Euen so, such as are sicke of Couetousnes, the more they get, the more they thirst for, and neuer leaue swallow­ing, till Leo de iciun. dec. mens. Serm. 6. Foenus pecuniae proues funus animae, as Leo speakes, the birth of money proues the death of man.

Enuy is a ranckling stripe in the soule. And therefore it is called Lyra in Isa. 1. Liuor, because the enuious man doth continually beate himselfe [Page 78]blacke and blew vvith spight, as Cyprian truely, Cypr. de zelo & liuore. Dum ab inuidis li­uor nunquaem exponitur, die bus ac no­ctibus pectus obsessum sine intermissi­one laniatur. Whilest enuious men continually pine at other mens hap­pinesse, they doe day and night but gash and wound their owne heart.

Pride is a swelling tumour: for, as a noxious and noysome humour, being met together in the flesh, makes the body swell: so pride, sea­ted in the soule, makes the heart to swell. Hence comes high thoughts in the minde, big lookes in the face, great words in the mouth, as so many outward Symptomes of that inward disease. Hence exoticke fa­shions in the apparrell, fantasticke gestures in the body, and disguized lookes in the countenance, as so many vlcerous scabs of such a ranckling sore. Wee men are asha­med of our owne fashions, and wo­men of their owne faces, therefore [Page 79]the one seekes to be new shaped, and the other to be new dyed. But ô, that men would chuse Tertullians stuffe, Tertul. 'Ʋestite vos serico sanctitatis, byssino probitatis, purpura pudicitiae, Clothe you with the Sattin of san­ctitie, the Silke of sinceritie, and the Purple of puritie. And women, Gorgonias complexion: of whom her brother Nazianzen reports, Nazian. orat. in laud Gorg. Vnus isli placebat rubor quem gignit pudor, vnus candor quem parit absti­nentia. The onely red that pleased her was the mayden blush, the only white the palenesse of fasting.

Oppression is a deuouring gangrene. For as that corrupts and putrifies so farre, as that it leaues the member without any thing to keepe life in it: so oppression deuoures and wasts so long that it leaues a man nothing to maintaine his life vvith­all.

But howsoeuer all iniquitie doth inquinare, all sinne doth soyle, yet of all, adultery is commonly, and [Page 80]properly to, called the sinne 2 Cor. 12.21. Col. 3.5. 2 Pet. 2.10. of vncleannesse, and is said, Pro. 6.33. turpitu­dinem congregare, to gather filth vp­on him that commits it. Hence it is, that Lexicon Theo. D. Boyes. Fr. Holyoke. peccare is pellicare, all sinne is named of adultery. For as adulte­rie is the leauing of a mans owne wife, and going to a Pro. 2.16. strange woman (whereupon Iac. de vorag. adulter, quasi ad alter) so sinne is a falling away from God, to whom our soule is ioyned in ma­riage, and a coupling with Satan, with whom wee ought to haue no­thing to do. Now, if each sin be a kind of adultery, then adultery hath kinred with each sinne: and kinred with sin, is like kinred with sinners; the neerer the worser, Deut. 7.3.7. 2 King. 8.26. as Scripture shewes both in expresse words and euident examples.

This sinne is one of the principall which defiles the Church of GOD. For it is lamentable to see, how men staine and spot themselues with the lusts of the flesh, whilst as Beares for a bone, so they for the flesh, doe [Page 81]euen rend and teare one another in pieces. Hence so many loathsome diseases in the body; hence so many duels and combates in the field; hence so many franticke butche­rings, and stabbings in the house. O that euer valour should come to be prostituted in so vaine a cause! But vvee are like Vide Iunij adag. Sybar. Sybarites, and haue chaunged manhood into wo­manishnesse, that if Diogenes vvere passing his iourney from them to vs, he would say as once of his iour­ney from the Lacedemonians to the Athenians, Diog. laer. de vit. philo. Eo à viris ad foeminas. I am going from men to very wo­men. So as a man may say to our Gallants, as Eras. Apoph. lib. 6. Alexis to Calimedon, Many haue died [...], but thou [...], many, for the loue of a Common-wealth, but thou for the loue of a common vvench.

For remedy hereof, remember Pauls words, 1 Thes. 4.3. 1 Thes. 4.3. This is the will of God, euen your sanctification, that euery one of you should know how [Page 82]to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour, and not in the lust of concupi­scence. Where marke, how hee bids you keepe your bodies, viz. possesse them. For harlots, and harlot-mon­gers doe not possesse their bodies themselues, but set them out to hire, and giue possession of them to others.

Againe, marke vvhat he cals the body; a vessell: euen, 2 Tim. 2.20. Vas in hono­rem, a vessell of honour in Gods house: but by lust a man makes it Ierem. 1.13. ollam succensam, a seething pot in the Deuils Kitchin, that boyles in the minde. Now, if thy body be in this case, Ierem. 6.7. Frigidam fac malitiam, (there is such a phrase in Ieremy) coole thy naughtinesse, euen as Cookes doe their pots; and that, eyther by infusion of water, or by substraction of vvood, or by remo­uing it from the fire.

First, I say, if the vessell of thy body boyle ouer vvith lust, runne to the waters; but not to the waters [Page 83]which the harlot speakes of, Prou. 9.17. Stolne waters are sweet, Prou. 9.17. but to the vvaters which Solomon directed to, Prou. 5.15. Drinke the water of thine owne Cisterne, and let them be thine, and not the strangers with thee. I am not igno­rant that lust is sometime compared to water, but that is not a cooling but a kindling water. August. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 21. cap. 5. Saint Au­gustine makes mention of a Well in Epirus, that, when firebrands vvere put into it, it would quench them: but (which is strange) when they were quenched, would set them on fire againe. Such a water is an harlot which quencheth lust for a time, & sets the body on fire euer after. Haue therefore a Well of thine own, for Pro. 23.27. an harlot is as a deepe ditch, and a strange woman as a narrow pit.

Secondly, if thy concupiscence be not allayed this way, take away the wood. For Eccles. 28.10. Secundū syluae ligna exardescit ignis, Eccles. 28.10. As is the vvood of the fire so is the fire it selfe. Now the fewell of lust is [Page 84]gluttony and drunkennesse. August. de temp. Ser. 69. Sem­per iuncta est saturitati lasciuia, saith Augustine. Saturity is the breeder of impuritie, & foulenesse the childe of fulnesse. See it in Noah, Incert. author. Noam, qui euasit aquam, euicit vinum. Noah that escaped the water, could not escape the Wine, for wine did make him sinke, whom water made to swimme. See it in Lot, Origen. in Gen. hom. 8. Ebrietas decipit quem Sodoma non decipit. Drunkennesse deceiued him whom Sodome deceiued not. Ʋritur ille flammis mulierum, quem sulphurea flamma non essit, and he is scorched with the flames of lust, that could not be touched with the flames of vengeance. No maruaile then, if vncleannesse be so hardly auoyded, vvhen drunkennesse and gluttony be so much affected.

Thirdly, to quench lust vtterly, remoue thy body quite from the fire: auoyd the company of vn­chaste vvomen. For this by the wisest men hath beene iudged the [Page 85]wisest course. Gen. 39.10. Ioseph, when hee would not haue his Mistres desire his company, would not so much as offer to be seene in her company. Gen. 39.10. Isid. Pelus. lib. 2. Epist. 62. Lectione didici saith Isidore of Pelusium, I haue learned by reading, of a certaine King (it was Antiochus the third, as I haue learned) who at Ephesus behold­ing the priest of Diana, (a woman of incomparable beautie) went pre­sently out of the Citie, Id. ib. ne praeter voluntatem nefarij aliquid admittere cogeretur. Least, more then hee was willing to, hee should be tempted to commit vncleanenesse with her. And hee addes, that Cyrus the great Monarch of Persia, when he had heard of the great Beautie of Pan­thea, the wife of Abradalus King of Susa, hee vvould not yeeld so much as to see her. Isid. Pelus. vt sup. [...].

Eras. annot. in Hieron. Epist. ad Innocent. Erasmus somewhat tartly, cals adultery Magnatum ludus, the sport [Page 86]of Nobles. For my part I had ra­ther speake of Magnatum laudes, then Magnatum ludos, rather of their praise, then of their plaies; one­ly I wish that greatnes would not be a patrone to gracelesnes, nor riches a couer for base actions. Excel­lent is that, vvhich is reported of Dionysius the tyrant, Tacitus. who reprouing his sonne for deflowring a woman, asked him, if euer hee had heard, that himselfe, his father, had done any such thing. No, saith the young man, and no meruaile, for you had not a King to your father. True, saith hee, neither wilt thou haue a King to thy sonne, if thou ceasest not quickly to follow such courses as these.

Therefore, great cause haue wee to blesse God, who hath giuen vn­to vs so gracious a King, vvho, as in other vertues hee excels other Kings, so in chastity, hee excels himselfe; No doubt, but his roy­all sonne, our Noble Prince Charles, [Page 87]as he was borne of the mirrour of chastitie, so also, (which yet let vs not cease to pray for) he will con­tinue a mirrour thereof, to the glo­ry of himselfe, and the admiration of the whole Christian world. And let this suffice for the first part of my Text. Now to the second.

Open vnto me.

VVEe haue heard in this speach of Christs to his Church, the sweet words he gaue vnto her; now are we to heare the request which hee desires of her: which is to Open vnto him. Wherein you must imagine Christ as a louer, standing, or sitting at the chamber dore of his loue, desiring to bee let in; Together also with an insinua­tion of some dislike in his minde, that hee is made to waite so long, before he can be receiued in to her.

As if hee had said, What my [Page 88]deare Spouse, dost thou sleepe all night, and I thy louer, yea, they Sa­uiour, here shiuer in the colde? ha­uing my head wet with dew, and my lockes with the drops of the night. Nay, my dearest, vse mee not so. Arise, Open vnto mee.

Temporanoctis eunt, Ouid. excute poste serā. Rom. 15.12. The night is past and the day is come, Vp, let me in; put me on. Cast away the workes of darkenesse, and clothe thee with the armour of light. Bernard sup. Cant. serm. 61. Hic literalis lusus. This, saith Bernard, is the sport of the letter. The sence we must further inquire for. Wher­fore, I beseech you, yet a while to Open your cares in attention, whilst I lay Open vnto you the meaning of this word Open.

A word it is of liberty, and of libe­rall signification: yet all that in this place it imports may be reduced to two actions. Something, that she is to doe to her children; Something that her children are to do to them­selues.

[Page 89]That which the Church is to doe to her Children, is to Preach Christ vnto them, Isa. 1.1. which is an opening of the prison dore, and setting the pri­soner at liberty, Isa. 61. 1. Thus Au­gustin vnderstands the place, August. in Iohan. tract. 57. Aperi mihi, id est, praedica me. Open vnto me, that is, Open me; Preach and declare me. Id. ibid. Ad cos quippe quiclau­serunt contra me, quomo do intrabo sine aperiente? For vnto such as haue shut me out, how shall I enter with­out an opener? How shall they heare without a Rom. 10.14. Preacher? This thing Christ else-where desires of his Church, Cant. 2.10. Cant. 2.10. Arise my loue, my faire one, and come thy way. Arise out of thy bed of contemplation, Come away, looke about, and Ioh. 4.35. be­hold the regions white vnto haruest, Ioh. 4.35. Make hast and be quicke in preaching. A businesse indeede of important celerity; in respect whereof wee must passe by men Luc. 10.4. vnsaluted, Luc. 10 4. And leaue e­uen our father Math. 8.12. vnburied. Mat. 8.22 [Page 90]And it may be, Christ therefore a little before his death washed his disciples Iohn. 13.15. feete, that they might be nimble, and expedite in preaching, that others seeing them, might cry out in admiration Rom. 10.15. How beautifull are the feete of them that bring glad tydings of peace, and glad tidings of good things! Rom. 10.15. Vndoubt­edly a most worthy worke of the Church, as can be. Lord Iesus, let mee euer preach and declare thy name among men, that thou mayst purge and cleare my name before thy father in heauen.

Seeing then this businesse of preaching is committed to the Church, it is her duetie to chuse men that can, and men that will, vndertake so weighty a businesse as preaching is: Men that can. For euery blocke is not apt for a Mer­cury, nor euery honest man to be a teacher. It is Nazi. Apol. pag. 6. ars artium et scien­tiarum regere hominem, saith Nazi­anzen, an Arte of all Artes and [Page 91]sciences to be a teacher and ruler of men. Therefore Paul saith, he must nor be a 1 Tim. 3.6. Neophyte, a young Scholler. 1 Tim. 3.6. Cyprian ex­hortat. ad marty. Ne (que) enim idoneus potest esse miles, qui non ex­ercitatus prius in campo fuerit, saith Cyprian. He can neuer be a fit Sol­diour in Christs campe, that was neuer exercised in the field before. Which made Nazianzen so pitti­fully to complaine, that some in his time did Figulinam in dolio discere. Gilber. Cog. paraem. 2.7. [...], as the prouerbe saith, that is, as he expounds it, learne knowledge of CHRIST by the destruction of soules, like vnto bad Phisitians, who learne skill by hurting their patients. For my part, saith hee, I haue euer preferred it as a point of wisedome, Nazian. apol. candidam potius aurem submittere, quam stolidam linguam mouere. Rather to vse an ingenuous eare in hearing, then to moue a blockish tongue in speaking.

Againe, it is the Churches duety to chuse men that will Preach. For [Page 92]as good be silent with ignorance, as with idlenesse. And it is no lesse impietie, not to be willing to Preach when we can, then not to be able to Preach when we should. Exod. 28.34. Moyses commanded Aaron the high Priest, to make him a coate, at the skirts whereof were to be pomegranates of blew silke, and bels of Gold, that his sound might bee heard, when hee went into the holy place, and when hee went out, that he might not dye. Exod. 28.34. Hereupon Greg. Past. lib. 2. cap. 14. et Epist. lib. 1. ep. 24. Gregory. Moysi praecipitur, &c. Moyses is comman­ded, that the Priest going into the Tabernacle should be compassed with bels, that is, vt voces praedicati­onis habeat, that hee should haue the voyce of preaching, and so not dye. Idem vt sup. Sacerdos quippe ingrediens vel egre­diens moritur, si de eo sonitus non audi­atur. For the Priest going in and comming out dyeth, if there be no sound of preaching, nor no sound preaching come from his mouth. Wherefore let vs bee continually [Page 93]following our businesse. Let vs, saith Origen g imitate Moyses and Aron. Orig. in Leuit. hom. 6. What is said of them? That they departed not out of the Tabernacle day nor night. What did they there? Aut à Deo aliquid discere, aut popu­lum àocere. Either learne something of God. or teach something to the people. And, Haec duo sunt pontificis opera, These two things are the whole businesse of a Church-man, either by reading the Scriptures to learne something to himselfe; or by expounding the Scripture to teach something to the people. And thus much of this.

The other action I take it, is chiefly intended heere, which each faithfull soule, that is a member of the Church, is to doe for it selfe, viz. to Open to Christ.

A speech indeed metaphoricall: And that you may the better con­ceiue the Metaphor, wee must call to minde, that man before his fall, being made after the Image of God, [Page 94]had God remayning and abiding in him, as another soule to his soule, quickning him with another life, which Paul cals Ephes. 4.18. [...]. Eph. 4.18. the life of God. And so for that time, the state of man in paradise was like the happy condition that shall be to Gods children in heauen, when 1 Cor. 15.28. GOD shall be all in all, 1 Cor. 15.28. But when by the subtiltie of the Diuell, it was mans vnhappy case to fall from God, then did hee banish and expell that sweet guest out of his soule, and was himselfe expelled and banished out of Para­dise. And looke how God in Iu­stice then, shut the gate of Paradise against man, that hee should not any more come thither: so hath man by sinne, euer since, shut the dore of his heart against God, that hee cannot lodge there. Hence it is, that God who doth neuer cease to seeke and to saue, doth beg and craue of vs, as in this place, Open vnto mee, desiring that wee againe [Page 79]would entertaine him, that by re­ceiuing him into our soules againe on earth, we may come to be recei­ued by him into his celestiall Para­dise in heauen.

Now the dores by which hee is to enter in to vs, are the dores of our senses, and the dores of our vn­derstanding. By the one wee heare and see him; by the other wee loue and beleeue in him. And because there is nothing in the vnderstan­ding which is not first in the sense, therefore (as I take it) we must first Open the dore of our senses, heare him in the Word, see him in the Sa­crament, and then, the dores of our vnderstanding, apprehend him by Faith, and retayne him by Loue.

First then, Open vnto him, that is, Open thine eares to heare him prea­ched: a most necessary worke for a Christian; for, Rom. 10.17. Faith come by hea­ring, and hearing by the Word of God, Rom. 10.17. Yea, euen such as haue seene Christ, and seene him cruci­fied, [Page 96]yet haue not beleeued in him by seeing, but by hearing. The Cen­turion that watched him at his death, Mark. 15.36. hearing him with a cry giue vp the Ghost, said, Truely this was the Sonne of God. Bern. super. Cant. ser. 28. Auditus inue­nit quod non visus: (saith Bernard) Oculum species fefellit, veritas auri se infudit: His hearing found out that which his seeing could not prie into: and Truth shewed her selfe to his care, that could not be perceiued with his eye. Therefore, God saith to his Church, Psal. 45.11. n Audi filia & vide, Heare ô Daughter and see, Psal. 45.11. Bern. vbi sup. Quid intendis oculum, aurem para; Why dost thou bend thine eye, rather prepare thine care, that thou maist say with them in the Psalme, Psal. 48.8. Sieut audiuimus sic vidimus, &c. As wee haue heard, so haue wee seene in the Citie of the Lord of Hoasts, in the Citie of our God, Psal. 48 8.

Then, Open vnto him, that is, open thine eyes to see him cruci­fied. [Page 97]Looke on him in the Sacra­ments: in Baptisme, washing and purging thee: in the Lords Supper, feeding and nourishing thee. For, these are the signes which hee de­sires to be shewed by, and which will make vs, with Moyses, Heb. 11.26. to see him that is inuisible. But rest not in the signe, that is but earth, aspire to that which is signified, which is in hea­uen.

To conclude, as Dan. 6.10. Daniel set his windowes open to Ierusalem, so set thou thine eyes open to heauen, Hieron. ad Eustoch. vnde lumen introeat (saith Ierome) vnde vide as ciuitatem Domini: from whence thou maist see the light of grace, and behold the Citie of God. It is said of God, that Psal. 34.15. his eyes are ouer the righteous, and his eares open to their prayers: Let thine eyes be toward God, as his are toward thee. Say with Dauid, Psal. 123.2. Behold, as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their Master, and as the eyes of a Mayden vnto the hand of their Mi­stresse, [Page 98]so waite our eyes vpon thee O Lord.

When thou hast thus heard him, thus seene him, let him passe from thy sense to thine vnderstanding. There open thine heart to beleeue in him, and thy affections to loue him. Thine heart to beleeue in him: for, Rom. 10.10 With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes, Rom. 10.10. And Ephes. 3.17. Christ doth dwell in the heart by Faith. Ephes. 3.17. Ianua nostrafides est (saith Ambr. in Psal. 118. serm. 12. Ambrose) quae totam do­mum sifuerit robusta communit. Faith is the dore which letteth Christ into the soule, which if it be strong, all the house is the stronger. And strong it is, if any vertue be strong. Bernard. sup. Cant. serm. 76. Attingit inaccessa, deprehendit ig­nota, comprehendit immensa, appre­hendit nouissima: It toucheth things inaccessible, findes out things vn­conceiueable, apprehends things invisible, comprehends things vn­measurable. Yea, it closeth within the spheare thereof, euen eternitie [Page 99]it selfe; for that most blessed and glorious Trinitie, which wee cannot conceiue in our hart by knowledge, wee doe receiue into our soules by faith. Per istam ianuam Christus in­greditur, Amb. in Psal. 118. ser. 12. saith Ambrose. By this gate Christ enters into the soule, and there rests as in his holy temple. Finally, faith is, Lud. Viu. com. in Aug. de ciu. dei lib. 1. cap. 1. huius vitae viati­cum. Our whole prouision for this life, without which a man can nei­ther Heb. 11.6. please God, nor Nam qui non placeat deo, non potest illi placere deus, Bern. in Cant. ser. 24. God him.

When thou hast thus got him by faith, hold him by Loue: For else hee will soone be gone from thee againe. The two Rib. de templ. lib. 1. cap. 21. dores which lead into the Sanctum Sanctorum, had sides round, or folding, and were 1 King. 6.24. se inuicem tenentia, holding or clasping each other: to teach vs, that the two dores of Faith and loue, by which Christ Iesus goes into the soule, as into his holy Temple, must neuer be separate nor diuided, but must se inuicem tenere, claspe hands together: because, Leo de collect. & eleemos. ser. 5. Sicut in fide est [Page 100]operum ratio, sic in operibus fidei for­titudo, saith Leo: Euen as in Faith is the order of our workes, so in workes is the life of Faith.

And thus haue wee heard how wee must open to him; that we may the better doe it, let vs see how he knockes for enterance, and why. For the first, vnderstand that God knockes at the gate of our heart, for lodging there, diuers wayes. First, 2 Cor. 5.20. by the open voyce of the ministerie, 2 Cor. 5.20. We pray you euen as if God did beseech you through vs, that yee be reconciled vnto God. Secondly, by wholesome inspirati­on, Reu. 3.20. Reu. 3.20. Behold, I stand at the doore and knocke, if any man will heare my voyce, and open vnto mee, I will come in to him, and sup with him. Do­mine, (saith Aug. confess. lib. 10. cap. 6. Augustine) amo te, percussisticor meū, & amaui te: Lord, I loue thee, thou hast knocked at my heart, and I haue set my minde on thee. And Acts 17.27. doubtlesse he is not farre from euery one of vs. Not [Page 101]farre, no, Senec. epist. 41 Prope est à te Deus, tecum est, intus est, saith diuine Seneca. God is neere thee, with thee, within thee. Ita dico, Lucili, sacer intra nos Spiritus sedet. Yea, it is, as I say, there is an holy spirit resting in vs, or ra­ther, not resting, but stirring & mo­ning vs to holy actions. Idi. bid. Bonus vir sine deo nemo est, so impossible is it for any man to be good without God.

Thirdly, by the Creatures: the world is a Booke, Heauen and earth opened leaues, each creature a let­ter, to teach vs to know and to loue God: Aug. confess. lib. 1. cap. 6. Domine (saith Augustine) & coelum & terra, & omnia quae in eis sunt, ecce vndi (que) mihi dicunt vt te amem, nec cessant dicere omnibus, vt sint inexcusabiles. Heauen and earth, and all things therein, lo, (ô Lord) they all speake to me to loue thee, and so they doe to all other men, to make them without excuse. Last­ly, by afflictions. And then God knockes vs somewhat hard indeed. For, as Iob saith, Iob 33.15.16 God speakes once [Page 102]or twice, & one seeth it not, in dreames and visions of the night: Then he ope­neth their eares, euen by their cor­rections which he hath sealed. So that God Opens mens eares to heare his call, and then men Open their harts to let him in.

But why (Lord) why dost thou beg thus of vs to let thee in? Art not thou able to make enterance thy selfe? Is our heart harder then that Act. 12.10. Iron gate of the Citie, which opened vnto Peter of its own accord? And art not thou our Sampson, able to breake vp, and breake downe the Iudg. 16.3. gates of our Azzah, and to carry them with thee into thy holy mountaine? Lastly, hast not thou the Key of Dauid, which Reuel. 3.7. openest, and no man shutteth, which shuttest and no man openeth? Why dost thou then beg so much to haue vs Open to thee, thou being so well able to Open to thy selfe?

Yes my deare brethren, God de­sires of vs to let him in, because his [Page 103]presence is not pleasing to himselfe, if it be not pleasing vnto vs. There­fore he would haue vs Open to him, receiue him willingly, entertaine him ioyfully, that so hee may ioy to remaine with vs. For, it is his Prou. 8.31. delight to be with the sonnes of men, especially if they againe delight to be with him. And hence it is, that wee haue so many sweet exhorta­tions, Eph. 4.30. not to grieue his spirit, 1 Thes. 5.19 not to quench the spirit: but to Psal. 31.23. loue the Lord, and to Psal. 37.4. delight in him. And all for this end, that hee might please himselfe in the kinde enter­tainment that comes from vs. For hee tarryes with no man against his will, nor remaines in any place where he is not welcome.

Therefore, he is not more ready to demaund entertainment of vs, then hee is forward to giue abili­tie of the thing vnto vs. For, Iohn 15.5. with­out him can wee doe nothing. As no man but Christ could Reu. 5.5. Open the clasped Booke, that Gods counsels [Page 104]might be deliuered to vs; so none but Christ can Open our closed heart, that Gods counsels might be receiued of vs. Euen he which bids vs Open to him, must Open for him­selfe: Our heart, as hee did the Acts 16.14. hart of Lydia, Acts 16.14. Our Luke 24.31. wits, as the two Disciples that went to Emmaus, Luke 24.31. Our eyes, as the Mar. 10.47. eyes of blinde Bartimaus, Marke 10.47. Our eares, as the eares Mar. 7.34. of the deafe and dumbe man, Marke 7.34. Domine (saith Aug. confess. lib. 10. cap. 27. Au­gustine, vocasti, & clamasti, & ru­pisti sur ditat [...]m meam: Lord, thou hast called, thou hast cryed, and beate through my deafnesse. Id. ibid. Co­ruscasti & splenduisti, & fugasti ca­citatem meam: Thou hast glittered, thou hast shined, and driuen away my blindnesse. Then Lord, giue what thou commandest, and com­mand what thou wilt.

Wherefore, to draw to a con­clusion, and to shut vp this word Open, remember what Christ saith [Page 105]vnto you here, Open vnto mee. Re­member what you must say to Christ hereafter, Open vnto vs: that which you shall desire of him then, that doe, whilst hee requests it of you now.

Gouernours and Rulers, heare what is said of Hezekiah, 2 Chro. 29.3 1 Chron. 29.3 Hee opened the dores of the house of the Lord (which 2 Chr. 28.24 Ahaz had shut) in the first yeere of his raigne, and the first moneth of the yeere. Hee began to settle his owne kingdome with the setting vp Gods Kingdome, and so fulfilled the request of each faith­full soule, that had cryed out with Dauid, Psal. 118.19. Open me the gates of righte­ousnesse, that I may goe in, and praise the Lord.

Yee Reuerend Fathers, and Pa­stors of the Church, remember what is said of Christ, Mat. 5.2. He opened his mouth and taught, Mat. 5.2. which signifies, eyther that hee spake of Apertio oris profunditatem significat sacra­menti. Strab. in Gloss. ad loc. high matters, according to that of Mat. 13.35. Mat. 13.35. I will [Page 106]open my mouth in Parables, I will de­clare hard sentences of old: or else, that hee spake boldly and confi­dently, accordng to that of Ezeck. 29.21. In that day I Ezek. 29.21. will giue thee an open mouth in the midst of them. And this being remembred, will vntie the strings of their tongues, whose mouthes seeme to be coped vp like Ferrets, and can say no­thing at all: or whose practise is Origen. in Gen. hom. 10. Linire parietem lapsantem, as Ori­gen speakes, to daube a tottering wall, and colour ouer their sinnes, with silent ouer-passing, which they should rub out with sharpe repro­uing.

Ye worshipfull Magistrates and Iudges. Heare what Bethsheba saith to her sonne. Prou. 31.8. Prou. 31.8. Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of all the children of destruction. Remember that ye be liuing lawes, to teach men by your actions, as vvell as by your counsailes. And one day we shall all appeare before [Page 107]the iudgement seate of Christ. Bern. Epist. Vbi plus valebunt pura corda quam astuta verba, & conscientia bona, quam marsupia plena. When a pure heart shall do more then a subtile tongue, and a good conscience preuaile aboue a full purse.

Ye rich men, Remember what God saith to his people, Deut. 15.8. Deut. 15.8. Thou shalt not shut thy hand from thy brother, but thou shalt Open thy hand vnto him. And to conclude all, you that are tradesmen, as you Open you shops to men for gaine, so Open your hearts to Christ for godlinesse, Heb. 9.8. Christ hath Opened to vs a way into the holy of holies. Heb. 9.8. Shall Christ Open a way for vs in heauen, and shall not we Open a way for him on earth? Yes: As Gen. 8.9. Noah Opened the window of his arke and tooke in the Doue, that came flying to him with an Oliue leafe in her mouth: so let vs Open the dore of our heart, and receiue Gods Doue, his blessed spirit, that [Page 108]brings the Oliue of peace vvith him.

Finally, let me say to each mans heart, which is the gate of his soule, as Dauid doth to the gates of the Temple. Psalm. 24.9. Psal. 24.9. Lift your heads O ye gates, and be ye lift vp ye euerlasting dores, and the King of Glory shall goe in. Let the King of glory come into our soules now, that wee may come into his king­dome of glory hereafter. To which King of glory, One eternall, and euer-liuing God, and three persons, the father, sonne, and holy Ghost, be all glory, might, Maiesty, power and dominion for euer and euer Amen.