IN the first Verse the Bride­groome Christ praised his Bride, his Church, or the faithfull soule: Here shee praiseth him, for none can praise him but they who haue béene before commended of him; and without controuersie who are commended of him are praise-wor­thy: So God accepteth no praise but of those that are praise-worthy. First the Lord bestoweth grace vpon vs to make vs [Page 2] commendable, and then he praiseth vs for his owne graces in vs, and all to this end, that we may resolue our hearts, and open our mouthes in praise of his graci­ous goodnesse, as here doth the Church.

The argument of her Lords commen­dation the Church taketh from his com­fortable fruits, which are first generally propounded, next particularly expoun­ded. Propounded in comparison, As is the Apple-trée of the Garden in respect of the trees of the forest, so is Christ my loue (saith the Church) in regard of other men: but the trées of the forest are naught in re­spect of the Apple-trée of the Garden: So are all other men in regard of Christ, they are naughty, barren, fruitlesse and vn­profitable. This Proposition first shew­eth vs a method how to meditate on Christ, that we may the better attaine to the knowledge of him. Would we sée what excellency is in him? Let vs com­pare him with any thing beside him. Things which simply looked on séeme to be most profitable, pleasant, perfect, high, illustrious, glorious, compared with him, are base, imperfect, vnprofita­ble and naughty. As the most bright [Page 3] starres of the Firmament vanish and dis­appeare in the sight of the Sunne, so is the glory of all creatures eclipsed in his presence. The Prophet Dauid to expresse his beauty compareth him with all other men, and saith:Psal. 45.2.7 He is fairer then the chil­dren of men: to expresse his vnction and gifts, he saith; He is anointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes. So, if ye will know what a foode he is, com­pare him with Manna.Psal. 78 24. Manna conside­red by it selfe, is called the Wheat of Heauen, and the Bread of Angels;Ioh. 6.3 [...] but in comparison of him, the Lord denies it to be an heauenly Bread, it could not pre­serue it selfe from stinke and rottennesse, much lesse vs from death, where Christ the Bread of life doth both.Ioh. 6.4 [...], 50. Would we know what a Garment he is? compare him with the most excellent Garment. The Lillies of the field may contend with Salomons Roabe royall,Mar. 6.29. but no Garment may compare with Christ our wedding Garment.Mat. 22.12. and Rom. 13.14. Other Garments may defend vs from the iniury of the aire, may adorne vs and make vs beau­tifull in the eyes of men, may couer the blemishes of our bodies, but this Gar­ment [Page 4] being put on can defend vs from the stormy tempest of Gods wrath, can make vs beautifull, yea glorious in the eyes of God; and not onely couer, but cure the blemishes of our soules. There is no­thing in this world profitable, pleasant, commendable, high or glorious, whereby our Lord is not parabolically named in the Scripture, yet all being compared with him, all their excellency, greatnesse and goodnesse disappeares, euanishes, and seemes nothing.

Rom. 1.19.The vse of this Doctrine is, not onely to lead vs by the hand of the creatures vnto the knowledge of Christ, but also to teach vs to discerne if we haue attained to the right knowledge of him, after wee haue knowne him, if we estéeme of any thing beside him, we know him not as we ought to know him.Phil. 3.7, 8. Saint Paul accoun­ted highly of many things before he knew Iesus Christ, but after he had attained to the knowledge of him, he accounted them all to be dung, to be dammage, to be no­thing. Secondly, obserue what man is by nature and in himselfe. He is as a barren and vnprofitable tree of the Wood:Psal. 14.2, 3 the Lord looked downe from Hea­uen [Page 5] vpon the children of men, to see if there were any that would vnderstand and séeke God, but what findeth he after search? all are gone out of the way, all are corrupt and become abominable, there is none that doth good, no not one.

Howsoeuer the vnregenerate man please himselfe, here is Gods Testimo­ny of him: in respect of good he is vnpro­fitable, for he doth no good: in respect of euill hee is erronious, close out of the way. And the reason of both his inepti­tude to the one and promptitude to the o­ther, is in himselfe, for he is corrupt and stinketh.Ioh. 15.4, 5. A man out of Christ can bring forth no good fruit, without him we can doe nothing: hee may well produce the broad leaues of lusty and worldly wise words. He may spread the branches of his worldly glory to the ends of the earth; yea, and touch the Heauens with the top of his pride like Nebuchad-nezzar, Dan. 4.8, 9, 17, 18, 19. but in respect of good fruit all are as trées of the Wood, barren and vnprofitable. To this well agréeth Saint Iude, Iude 12. who describing naturall men, in whom the supreme fa­culty is a naturall or reasonable soule, they are, saith he, [...], [Page 6] they are in respect of good [...], fruitlesse trees, but in respect of euill they are [...], that is, trées of corrupt fruit, of corrupting fruit, or cor­rupt in the haruest. Their fruit is cor­rupt in it selfe, and corrupteth others with its contagion, as rotten fruit cor­rupteth the whole, as a little Leuen doth leuen the whole masse, and as a little gangrene in the flesh corrupteth the whole body. Their fruits are as the Ap­ples of Sodome, faire and pleasant with­out, but crushed in péeces, are full of stinke and rottennesse: neither is their fruit only corrupt in respect of the inter­nall quality, and corrupting in respect of the externall operation, but also in re­gard of the season, they are corrupt in the haruest, when other trees are most abun­dant in good, bringing forth fruit for meat, and leaues for medicine, then are they most luxuriant in euill. O alas that there should bee so many such trées euen amongst vs,Luke 13.7. in the midst of the Orchard of God! while as other good Christians are séeking the Lord, now when he offe­reth himselfe to bee found in the Word and Sacraments, euen now in this har­uest [Page 7] of grace, they are fruitlesse in good, albeit luxuriant in euill: while as others are sacrificing praise to God, they are sa­crificing to Mammon, to their Nets, to their Bellies. A good man is as a good tree planted at the riuers of waters,Psal. 1.3. and bringing forth good fruit in due season, but these bring forth euill fruit at all sea­sons, and can finde no season for good.Luk. 13. [...]

Thirdly, consider how Christ Iesus is opponed to these men, yea to all men: He is as the fruitfull Apple trée of the Garden, they as the barren trées of the Wood, no trée comparable to the Apple-trée, for pleasantnesse of the fruit there­of to the eye, to the smell, to the taste, no trée like it, against thirst, against hunger, against faintheartednesse and sicknesse. The Apples of this trée will banish hun­ger, quench thirst, and comfort the sicke and languishing heart. Therefore the hungry, the thirsty and faint soule put­teth vp a Petition to her Lord in the fifth Verse, Stay me with Flagons, Cant. [...] [...] and comfort me with Apples, for I am sicke of loue. In respect of these singular vertues hee is called the Trée of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God,Reu. [...] and in the midst of the [Page 8] stréet of the new Ierusalem, Reu. 22.2. bearing twelue manner of fruits euery month, and sen­ding forth leaues that heale the nations. Oh what a store of meat and medicine is here! Oh what haruests of comfortable fruits! twelue times twelue, that is, 144. haruests of consolations are brought out by this trée euery yeere. Here is abundance of medicine against the poison of the tree of knowledge, whereby our parents in Paradise brought death on themselues, and their whole posteritie. The fruit of that trée hath poisoned vs all, no medicine can make vs whole, and frée vs of that poi­son, but only the fruit and leafe of this Apple-trée, this Trée of Life, Christ Iesus.

Num. 21.8.He is as the brasen Serpent: they that were stung with the fiery Scorpions could not bee cured but by looking vp to it, neither can we that are stung by that old Serpent be made whole, but by loo­king vp to Christ. He is as the waters of Iordan: 2. King. 5.12. albeit Naaman in his carnall conceit once said, are not Abanah and Pharpar, riuers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? yet by experi­ence [Page 9] he found there was no curing of his Leprosie but by washing himselfe in Ior­dan: and if we contemne the bloud of Ie­sus,Heb. 10.26. there remaineth no more sacrifice for our sinnes. Of that Trée of Know­ledge God said, If ye eate ye shall die. But of this Trée of life he saith,Ioh. 6.53. Except yee eate, ye shall die. Wee esteeme our Pa­rents fooles because they did eat where God forbade to eat. There was medicine for eating of that Trée of Knowledge, but no medicine for no eating of this trée of Life. This trée although in the be­ginning it was but a little graffe spring­ing out of the roote of Iesse, Isa. 11.1. yet being co­uered with earth (in the buriall) grew to a great Trée (in the resurrection) the top whereof (in the Ascension) grew in height aboue the Heauens, and (in the preaching of the Gospell) sent forth branches to the outmost ends of the earth,Hos. 14.7.8. that all Nations might rest vn­der his shadow, and enioy his comforta­ble fruits to euerlasting life: we can haue no life but from this Trée of Life. Thus concerning the proposition: followeth the particular exposition thereof, where­in is declared the effectuall working of [Page 10] the excellency of this Tree in the Chri­stian soule, it worketh desire and delight. The reasons of this soules desire and de­light are set downe three in number. First, she delighteth in this Trée, that shee may rest and repose vnder it. Se­condly, that she may be couered with the shadow of it. Thirdly, that she may eat the fruit of it, as being swéet to her taste. Concerning the soules delight and desire, consider how that first she speakes of the excellency of this trée, and then of her de­sire toward it, and her delight in it. For it is not possible wee can haue a desire of the Lord, or a delight in the Lord, except wee first know his excellency and good­nesse. It is true concerning the naturall man, of naturall things vnknowne of him he hath no desire, how much lesse can spirituall things affect him, being vn­knowne of him? The men of this world misregard the Lord, and those things that belong to his Kingdome, because they know them not.Mat. 13.45, 46. The Kingdome of Heauen is like a pearle of great price, which when a Merchant hath found, he selleth all that he hath, and buy­eth it: He finding this pearle quitteth [Page 11] himselfe of all things to gaine it, to get it; except he finde it and see it, hee labou­reth not to attaine vnto it, he careth for no more but this present life, because he knoweth no better:Mar. 8.34. If the Gadarens had knowne Christ, they would not haue pre­ferred their swine vnto him. The Lord Iesus came vnto his owne people,Ioh. 1.11. the Iewes, but his owne receiued him not.Mat. 27.20, 21. 1 Cor. 2.7. Why? because they knew him not: for if they had knowne him, they would not haue preferred a robber vnto him: if they had knowne him, they would not haue crucified that Lord of glory. The Lord said to the woman of Samaria, Ioh. 4.10. If thou knewest the gift of God, thou wouldst haue asked; she asked not, be­cause she knew not. No maruell to see the worldling haue little desire of the Lord, haue little delight in him. What wonder he fixe his heart on the things of of this world onely, séeing he knoweth no better: for if he knew better he would do better. If these carnall and worldly min­ded men that were called to the wedding of the Kings Sonne,Luk. 14.16. had knowne how great a benefit they were inuited vnto, they would not haue refused to come. [Page 12] They would not haue preferred their farmes and Oxen, that is, their earthly commodities, they would not haue pre­ferred their wiues, that is, their fleshly pleasures to that heauenly banquet. All tend to this, that we striue to get a sight of Christ,Phil. 3.8. that we study by all meanes to attaine to the excellency of the know­ledge of him, that our hearts may be ina­moured with him, that he may become the Butte of our desires, and only obiect of our delights. Secondly, as desire must begin at knowledge, so knowledge must end in desire: in vaine we heare of Christ, in vaine we know him, except our hearing and our knowledge set an edge on our de­sire, to affect him, to séeke him. When Ie­sus had showne vnto the Iewes of the Bread of Life which came downe from Heauen to giue life to the world,Io [...] 6.34. their de­sire as stirred vp, openeth their mouth to say, Lord giue vs euermore that bread. What euer a man knoweth of Christ, he knoweth nothing as he ought to know,1 Cor. 8.2. ex­cept he loue him as much as he knoweth him: if we acknowledge him to excell all other things, we must loue him and de­light in him, wee must desire him and [Page 13] require him aboue all other things.

Now to the reason of the soules de­sire and delight. First the wearied soule delighteth in this trée, that she may sit, that is, rest, remaine, and repose her selfe vnder it: Christ is to be sought and desired for himselfe, that we may rest and remaine in him, that we may repose on him. And good reason haue we so to do if we consider, either what he is, or what he hath, what the father hath pro­fessed of him, or what the Sonne hath promised of himselfe. What is he? hee is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.Reu. 1.8. Rom. 11.36. He is the last end of all ends, for to him are all things, therefore he is to be desi­red for himselfe, and all other things for him. What euer we desire beside him, we are not to rest vpon it, but must vse it as a meane to further vs to this last end, this supreme good: and wee dishonour him much, and disaduantage our selues more, if we desire or séeke him for any o­ther thing beside himselfe, if we take in that last end of all things to be vsed as a meane and mids to any other thing. Se­condly, we haue good reason to rest on him if we consider what he hath. He hath [Page 14] in himselfe all perfection and beauty: he hath in himselfe sufficiency both for him­selfe and for vs,Gen. 17.1. as being El shaddai, God all-sufficient.Col. 1.19. Col. 2.9, 10 Ioh. 1.14. It pleased the Father that all fulnesse should dwell in him, in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily, in him we are compleat and full, he is full of grace and truth; fulnesse of light, fulnesse of life, fulnesse of saluati­on is in him, and what good thing is to bée desired which wee shall not finde in him? In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge.Col. 2.3. He is made of the Father to be our wisdome, iustifica­tion,1. Cor. 1.30. sanctification, and redemption: are we fooles? in him we haue wisdome: are wee guilty of sinne and condemnation? in him we haue righteousnesse: are wee filthy and prophane? in him wee haue sanctification: are we sold vnder sinne to hell?Ephes. 1.7. in him we haue redemption, euen the remission of our sinnes in his bloud. Seeing then he hath all things we stand in need of, to frée vs from extreme mise­ry, and to bring vs to supreme felicity, good reason haue wee to rest and repose on him.

Thirdly, what professed the father of [Page 15] him? This is my beloued Son [...],Mat. 17.5. in whom I am well pleased, on whom I haue rested and reposed. If the father hath rested on him for fulnesse of satis­faction, why should not we repose on him for fulnesse of saluation? Lastly, what hath he promised of himselfe?Mat. 11.29. In me yee shall finde rest to your soules: Wée may with that rich man,Luk. 12.19. bid our soules rest on our Barnes; but try who will, hée shall finde no true rest but in Christ Iesus. As for other things, the more we possesse them, the more they possesse vs, yea the more they oppresse vs; the more ob­tained, the more they inflame the desire: as water, the more it be drunke by a drop­sie man, the more it kindleth his thirst, and as oile powred on a fire, it is so farre from quenching that it increaseth the flame. The reason is, first, because there is no proportion betwixt the spirit of man and these things, it being eternall and heauenly, these being temporall and earthly. Secondly, because nothing can rest but in the owne place whence it hath its beginning, and on things sutable to its nature: therefore stones, metals, and all earthly things thrust vp in the [Page 16] aire, do not rest till they returne to their originall earth againe, the center of their motion:Iob. 5.7. and hence it is, that a fiery flame is in a continuall restlesse motion, & shaking and shiuering, alwaies tending vpward toward its naturall place; euen so,Eccl. 12.7. the spirit of man which is from a­boue, cannot rest but on things aboue. The heart which God hath made for him­selfe, hath no rest but on God himselfe, as the Needle of a Mariners compasse can­not be still and stedfast except it point di­rectly toward the Northerne starre. O then, my soule, since in thy vnstable and restlesse motion, thou hast wandred too long from thy Lord, séeking rest else­where and hast found none,Psal. 116.7. Returne to thy rest my soule, the Lord is thy rest, hée is the center that must stay thy vnstable and restlesse motion.

This Doctrine confutes and reproues, First, all Papists in generall. Secondly, politike Papists that dwell among vs in particular. Thirdly, vs all in vniuersall, so farre as we are carnall and worldly minded. Hereby are conuinced all Pa­pists in generall that rest not on Christ, that seeke not their perfection and salua­tion [Page 17] in him, but elsewhere they mixe the bloud of Christ with the bloud of Mar­tyrs, his merits with theirs. They make many Mediators & Sauiours beside him, and so forsaking the Fountaine of liuing waters,Ier. 2.13. they dig vnto themselues dry Ce­sternes that can hold no water. Fulnesse of saluation is only and wholly in Christ,Col. 1.19. wholy in him,Col. 2.9.1 [...] for it pleased the father that all fulnes should be in him; in him we are compleat,Heb. 7.25. and he is able to saue perfectly them that come vnto God by him: only in him, for there is no saluation in another,Act. 4.12. and among men there is giuen no other name vnder Heauen, whereby we may be saued. He is as Noahs Arke, out of the which there was not safety; & as Ia­cobs Ladder, by the which only we haue accesse to Heauen.1 Cor. [...].13 Was Paul crucified for vs, or were we baptized in his name? Our Lord was crucified betweene two Theeues, not two Apostles; as for the A­postles, one of them betrayed him, ano­ther of them denied him, the rest with­drew themselues the time of his suffe­ring, to shew that his bloud only is the price of our redemption, that he alone trod the Vinepresse of Gods wrath,Isa. 63.3. and [Page 18] that of all the people there was none with him: this is the old faith, and there­fore the only sound Religion. Will we looke to Dauid the sweet singer of Israel, a man according to Gods owne heart? will we follow either his practise or his precept? by both he teacheth vs this Re­ligion. Concerning his practise, he saith to the Lord,Psal. 23.25. Whom haue I in Heauen but thee? and on earth I haue desired none with thee; and giuing a Precept he saith, Let Israel wait vpon the Lord, Psal. 130.7, 8. for with the Lord is the great redemption, and he will redeeme Israel from all his iniquities. Let other Nations wait on whom they please, let the Egyptians wait vpon their Isis and Osiris, let the Moabites and Midi­anites wait vpon their Baalpeor, let the Amonites attend on Moloch, the Sidoni­ans on their Ashtaroth, the Philistims on Dagon, Ezek. 22.3. Ge [...]im. [...] [...]. the Turkes on their Mahomet, the other Pagans on a thousand other such dirty gods of their owne inuention, and let the Papists as fondly doting on Idols, as they wait on as many such gods of their owne creation, let all Idola­ters, I say, wait vpon their Idols, it be­commeth the Israel of God, to wait on [Page 19] the God of Israel, it becommeth all true Christians to wait on Christ their Lord, to rest on him alone. He is Iacobs stone on which he rested; they that rest on this stone, shall finde with Iacob Heauen ope­ned, a ready passage to Heauen, and the Angels of God attending them, to fur­nish and further them in this way.

Secondly, this Doctrine makes against politike Papists dwelling among vs, who make religion to serue their policie, & take in Christ, the last and of all ends, to be a mids and meane to their crafty de­signes: as many come to the musters for feare of poynding, so these come with vs to the Church, to the Word and Sacra­ment for feare of the Kings Law. They professe the Gospell of Christ with vs, that they may enioy their state among vs, like Iudas that followed Christ for the bagge; a better purse of mony will make Iudas betray his Master. Iupiter (say the heathen Prophets moralizing by fables) could not obtaine the loue of Da­nae till he turned himselfe in a shoure of gold: oh, but then she kept him in her bo­some. If Christ were not turned in gold, he should not be welcommed by these our [Page 20] symbolizing false brethren: if the Gospell were not accompanied with security of estate, with profits, preferments, and o­ther emoluments, they would not receiue it, they would not professe it. This is not to rest on Christ and his truth, but on these worldly emoluments, for the which they professe Christ and his truth. These men, as the messens of Mammon follow Christ, because their master Mammon is in his company; but when Christ and Mammon shall part company, like De­mas they will leaue Christ and follow Mammon,2 Tim. 4.10 and then the world shall see that not Christ but Mammon was their master. Who loue Christ, who seeke him, who follow him, must loue him, must seeke him, must follow him for himselfe, otherwaies they doe not, no they cannot rest vpon him.

Lastly, this Doctrine fighteth against the worldly-mindednesse of vs all, while as we seeke other things to leane vnto, and to rest vpon beside Christ: for euen Israel the people of God sometimes be­side God can leane to Egypt, 2. King. 18. [...]1. a staffe of reed, which breaking faileth them, and thrusteth through their hand. Whateuer [Page 21] we leane to beside Christ, it is as a staffe of reede, it helpeth not but hurteth. Is it wisdome? is it learning? is it riches? is it friendship? Whatsoeuer a man trusteth vnto beside the Lord, it shall dis­appoint him: in the end it shall proue not helpfull but hurtfull vnto him, as did Hamans honour, Goliahs greatnesse,Ester. 7. 1 Sam. 17. 2 Sam. 17. and Achitophels wisdome. We must not loue the world then, nor yet the things of this world,1 Cor. 7.31 for the shape of this world passeth away, and whatsoeuer is in the world, as the lust of the flesh,1 Ioh. 2.16 the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, are not of the father, but of the world, and all things worldly are but vanity, passing as a smoke, as a dreame, as a shadow. Our Treasure is not here, but aboue, here be only the shadowes of good things, their substance is in Heauen. We laugh at the foolishnesse of little Babes when we sée them chase shadowes, and glame after them on a Wall, with confidence to apprehend them. Greater fooles shall we proue if wee chase the things of this world, for they are but shadowes indéed. The pompe, the riches, and pleasures of this world, they are but shadowes of [Page 22] that glory, riches and ioy that is hid with Christ in God. Good reason is it then we settle our minds and hearts on him, and not on any thing else: We must forsake all things to winne him,Mat 1 [...].44 like that wise and thrifty Merchant, who finding that precious Treasure in a field, sold all that he had and bought it.

Vnder his shadow. The second reason of the soules delight in this Trée, is the shadow of it. The shadow of a well bus­ked Trée serues for refreshing of a wea­ried Traueller, it serues to couer him from the parching heate of the Sunne, and to saue him from a tempest. The shadow of Iesus Christ refresheth the wearied soule,Ma [...]. 11. [...]8. sore trauelled vnder the burthen of sinne, tentations and afflicti­ons; it couereth him from the fiery heat of Gods consuming wrath, it defendeth and holdeth off the tempest of his iudge­ments.Isa. 32.18. Vnder his shadow is that Taber­nacle of peace,Lam. 4.20. that sure Habitation and safe resting place, in the which the Lord hath promised his people shall dwell and liue: Christ is our peace, our sure habita­tion & safe resting place; if we dwell else­where, we can haue no peace, no surety, [Page 23] no refreshment, we cannot liue vnder a­nother shadow, another shadow may slay thee, it cannot saue thée. Pliny in his Naturall History writeth of the Taxus,Plin. lib. 16. cap. 1 [...]. which we call the Yew trée, that in Arca­dia the shadow of it is so deadly and poi­sonable, that if a man sléepe or eat vnder it, it doth presently poyson and kill him; such is the shadow of any thing beside Christ, it may well kill vs, it cannot kéepe vs, it is a Taxus to intoxicate and poy­son, not a sauing shadow to comfort and refresh. A shadow is made of a light and a body: where a darke body interuening betwéene and a light, obscures the light, there is the shadow.Col. [...].17 The Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the Law were shadowes of Christ, wherein the people did sit, ha­uing the light of the Gospell eclipsed and obscured to them, for then the wisdome of God was a mystery and hid. Then was the new Testament couered in the old,1 Cor. 2.7. Eph. 3 5. as the old is now discouered in the new. Now these shadowes are fled a­way, since the day of saluation is brea­thed forth in the rising of that Sunne of righteousnesse: Wée then that are not vnder the Law, must not desire any more [Page 24] to sit vnder these shadowes,Luke 1.78. since the day-spring hath visited vs from on high. We haue better shadowes to sit vnder: the first is the shadow of his flesh and hu­manity, through the which the glorious light of his Diuinity appeared,Ioh. 1.14. and was seene as the glory of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth. Vn­der this shadow we must delight and sit, in this shadow we must seeke for rest, re­freshment and safety. It is the shadow of his flesh whereby we are saued; no sal­uation had béene to man, except God had become man, we should haue had no com­fort against sin, except in his flesh he had borne our sinnes; we could haue had no safety from the wrath of God,Psal. 19.9. except he in his flesh had borne it. But now our flesh may rest in hope,Ioh. 1.14. Hos. 13.14. because the Word was made flesh: now we may laugh at death and destruction, because by his death he hath béene the death of Death, and hath saued vs from destruction. Oh! then let vs still delight to sit vnder this shadow of his flesh and humanity, which if it had not interuened betwéene vs and God, in his wrath, as with a burning fire, we all should haue béene consumed. [Page 25] Blessed be his holy name for euer and e­uer, for preparing such a shadow to couer vs,Psal. 32.1. and blessed are they for euer and euer who delight vnder this shadow, whereby in all their tribulations they are swéetly refreshed, whereby all their iniquities are closely couered, and their soules are surely saued from the wrath to come.

Neither is his flesh only, but his Word and Sacraments also are his shadowes, vnder the which we must delight to sit,1. Cor. 13.12. for as yet we sée him not face to face, we sée him not as he is, but in a mirror, and in a riddle or obscure spéech, for what is to be knowne of God here by Word and Sa­craments is nothing in respect of that we shall know hereafter,1 Ioh. 3.2. when wée shall sée him as he is, and know him as wee are knowne of him: Therefore in this chap­ter, verse 9. hee is said to speake to vs through a wall, and to looke to vs thorow windowes and lattesses. The Holy of holies was couered with a Vaile, which was rent in the suffring of our Lord, to shew that the mysteries of the Law were reuealed and discouered in Christ, and as the twi-light of the Law was darknesse in respect of the bright meridian Sun­shine [Page 26] of the Gospell, so is this of the Gos­pell in respect of that which is to be re­uealed in the Kingdome of glory: euen now in this Kingdome of grace the Lord standeth behind our wall, he speaketh to vs through a veile, he looketh to vs tho­row windowes and lattesses: we sée him in a mirrour, and in a riddle, we heare him speake as it were behind a wall in his Word, we sée him looke as it were thorow lattessed windowes in the holy Sacraments. These are all shadowes of Christ, in which we must delight to sit for safe protection, and refreshing consolati­ons, till that glorious day breath forth his light, and then shall these shadowes flye away.Ios 5.12. Manna was the peoples food in the Wildernesse, and ceased when they came to Canaan: so by the Word and Sacraments we must be refreshed here, till we come to Heauen our Canaan. But there doe cease Word and Sacraments, which are but shadowes of things that be there, there shall be no vse of the shadow, there shall we not sée him in a mirror, but as he is; there shall we not heare him as behind a wall or veile, for all things that make partition betwixt vs and our Lord [Page 27] shall be taken away, there shall he speake to vs mouth to mouth, there shall he not looke to vs thorow lattessed windowes, but with a discouered face, and we shall be able to behold the glory of his face vn­ueiled, albeit infinitely more glorious than the face of Moses, when hee came downe from the Mount,2 Cor. 3.7. and could not be looked vpon for the brightnesse of his countenance.Reu. 21.22, 23. In that heauenly Ierusa­lem shall bee no Temple, no Sunne, no Moone,1 Cor. 15.28. for the Lambe is the light there­of, he shall be all in all immediatly. But till that day breath forth his light, wee must not only content our selues, but al­so delight our selues in these shadowes, for without them he giueth no presence, we cannot heare him, nor see him but in them: except we delight to sit in these sha­dowes, his flesh cannot shadow vs, his suffering in the flesh cannot couer vs from the wrath to come. And this is the third reason of the soules delight in Christ, his swéet and comfortable fruits, which swéetnesse the Church testifieth by her experience; His fruit was swéet to my taste. Not onely doth this Trée in re­gard of the shadow serue for safegard and [Page 28] refreshment, but in respect of the fruit, it serueth also to comfort the hungry & thir­sty soule. The Lord promiseth to those that sit vnder this Trée,Isa. 49.10. that the burning heat of the Sun shall not smite them, and that they shall neither hunger nor thirst. Israel in the Wildernesse had the cloud to couer them and Manna to eat: Christ is both to vs a Cloud to couer, and Manna to eat.1 Cor. 10.3 Manna was a liuely Sacrament of Christ, and hence it is called a spiritu­all food, amongst other resemblances it had of Christ, all manner of good tastes were in it, Wisd. 16.10. And so in Christ is euery thing desirable, and euery thing delightfull, he hath the taste of the Wine, Ioh. 15.1. the taste of the Oliue, Rom. 11.17. the taste of the hony and the hony combe, Cant. 4.11. the taste and sent of all delicate spices, ibid. 13, 14. As here he hath the taste of the apple, yea of euery good Apple, for so the originall word Ta­puach here vsed doth signifie. And what I pray you else is meant hereby, but that he was anointed with the oyle of gladnes aboue his fellowes,Psal. 45.7. Ioh. 3.34. and that he receiued not the spirit by measure. In a word, that the graces and fruits of the spirit in [Page 29] him for vs are of infinite variety and va­lue, for by him we haue righteousnesse, peace and ioy of the holy Ghost, Rom. 14.17. He is made by the father vnto vs, our wisdome, iustification,1 Cor. 1.30 sanctification and redemption. By him wee are made the righteousnesse of God.2 Cor. 5.21 Col. 1.20. By the bloud of his Crosse all things are pacified both in Heauen and Earth.ibid. 21, 21. By the body of his flesh we are reconciled. By his bloud we haue redemption, euen the remission of our sinnes.Ephes. 1.7. Ephe. 2.13. Isa. 53.5. 2 Tim. 1.10 By his bloud we that were farre off are made neere. By his stripes we are made whole. By his death, death is destroyed, and life is brought to light. By his death he hath destroyed him who had the power of death; that is, the De­uill,Heb. 2.14, 15. Eph. 2.15. Gal. 3. and we are deliuered from the feare and bondage of death. By his flesh is ta­ken away the diuision and separation be­twixt God and vs. By his curse we are saued from the malediction of the Law. By his pouerty wee are made rich.2 Cor. 8. Eph. 2. By his condemnation wee are iustified.Eph. 2. By his death we haue life. He is our peace. He is our aduocate with the father,1 Ioh. 2. 1 Ioh. and a propitiation for our sinnes. He taketh away the sinnes of the world. He saueth [Page 30] vs his people from our sinnes. He hath torne in péeces the obligation that was against vs.Matth. 1. Col. 2. He iustifieth the wicked by faith.Rom. 4. Rom. 5.1. By him we are at peace with God. By him wee haue boldnesse with confi­dence to draw néere to God.Ephes. 3.12.

In a word, he hath all manner of delecta­ble & good tastes, all things that are to be desired are to be sound in him,Col. 2.10. and in him we are compleat. O admirable Trée that so aboundeth with such fruits! O happy soule that tasteth, and thrise happy soule that inioyeth the swéetnesse of these fruits! Swéet so my taste. Some things be swéet of their owne nature, and in themselues,Iudg. 14.18. as is hony, according to that of Samsons riddle, What is swéeter than Hony? Some things are swéet to the taste and mouth, which in themselues haue no naturall swéetnesse, for to the hungry soule, euen bitter things séeme sweet; hunger is a sauce that maketh them sauory. The fruits of this Trée are most swéet in themselues, yet not to eue­ry taste, not to the taste that is preoccupi­ed and vitiat with the sent of fleshly de­lights. The humour possessing the taste suffereth not the swéetnesse of these spi­rituall [Page 31] fruits to enter & affect. As to those that are in an Ague, the bitter humour that infects their taste, maketh the swée­test and healthsomest things distastfull and vnsauory:1 Ioh. 2.5. So the heart possessed with the loue of the world, cannot be af­fected toward God; things spirituall are abominable and distastfull to it. The na­turall man giuen ouer to sinfull and flesh­ly delights, perceiueth not the things that are of the spirit of God,1 Cor. 1.14 for they are insipide and vnsauory to him; neither can he perceiue them, for they are spiritually discerned: as none can discerne naturall things but by a naturall soule, so spiri­tuall things cannot be discerned but by a supernaturall spirit. His fruits are swéet to my taste, saith the Bride. The Spouse of Christ hath the Spirit of Christ, there­fore she can discerne things belonging to his Kingdome: and as they are most swéet in themselues, so are they to her taste. Hence we may discerne our selues; if we haue the Spirit of Christ, we will sauour the things of the Spirit,Rom. 8. they will be most swéet and sauory to our taste, o­therwaies we are sensuall, naturall and carnall, the supreme faculty in vs is a na­turall [Page 32] soule: for is not the life of euery liuing thing discerned by the operation thereof, it being proportionable to the obiect affected by it? the herbes of the field thirst for the sap of the earth, and the dew of Heauen, whereby they are nourished and increased: whereupon we conclude that they haue a naturall life. The beasts of the earth are affected toward things sensible, and by their ap­petite are carried toward those things that be pleasant to their sense: Where­upon we conclude, they haue also a sensi­ble life. And men without God affect things not only by nature and sense, but also by reason: Whereupon wee con­clude, that they haue a reasonable soule. And whereas many,Mat. 6.32. howbeit professed Christians, are affected and inclined only to things naturall, sensuall, and such as are founded on reason, what can we con­clude of them, but that they liue a life on­ly naturall, as do plants; sensuall, as do beasts; and reasonable, as do the heathen, and haue no spirituall life at all. Seeing their appetite doth not carry them to­ward the things of God,Col. 3.1. it is certaine they liue not the life of God;Rom. 8.5. and (pro­fesse [Page 33] what they will) Christ liueth not in them by his Spirit, otherwaies their de­sire would be towards him, their delight would bee in him, and his fruits would be swéet to their taste.

Let vs study then to know our owne mi­sery, & Iesus Christ his excellency; then our desire and languor will bee toward him, our delight will bee in him. The soule that is weary of the burthen of sinne, will hunger and thirst after his righteousnesse, will earnestly desire to rest and repose vnder his shadow. The Spirit that feeleth the piercing Arrowes of Gods wrath for sinne, will aboue all things seeke to bee couered with the sa­uing shadow of his mercy. O how sweet will his comfortable fruits be to the hun­gry and distressed soule, that seeth no life, no refreshment, no consolation, but in him and through him!

Now the Lord of life, that Father of mercies and God of all consolation, so moue vs, so direct vs, so affect vs, that a­boue all things we may seeke him, and finde him, to his euerlasting glory, and our eternall felicity, Amen.