man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friends but Christ suffered for us dum inimici essemus p Rom. 5.8 10. while wee were sinners and enemies and gave himselfe to death for us while wee were q Eph. 2.1 dead in trespasses and sins Wee read of some indeed that have been ready to dy for their friends as r Cicer. Offic. Damon for his Pithyas Pylades Å¿ Idem de Amici for his Orestes of whom the Poet. t Ovid. Extitit hoc unum quod non convenerat illis Hic negat inque vicem pugnat uterque mori They never fell out about any thing but this which of them should first lay downe his life for the other And wee read of some that have dyed for others as S. Austine reports v De Civitate Dei li. 8. cap. 5. of Castor and Pollux the sons of Tyndarus that Pollux intreated to impart halfe his life on his brother And we read that Codrus did willingly w Iustin dy for his countrey And also it is reported x Iuv. â—ill Subeuntem fata mariti Alcesten that Alcestes did undergo the destinies of her husband and by her death redeemed his life These shewed great loves in laying downe their lives but it was for them that loved them as much or had deserved so much at their hands But Christ layd downe his life for us not onely Sine nostris meritis sed cum nostris demeritis saith S. Bernard y In Cant. Ser. 15 when we deserved no love but when we deserved as much hatred from him as was due unto his enemies and extended the fruits of that love and the benefits of that passion to all that will lay hold upon them It is written of the Cherubins z 1 Kings 6.27 that they stretched out their wings ad parietes usque to the wall on each side full ten cubits so Christ being stretched forth upon the Crosse extended his benefits to the ends of the World hee stood open to receive all commers and spread forth the branches of his love unto all therein resembling the leaves of the Lilies of the Valleyes Thirdly the Lily Lactei floris herba unde nuncupata quasi lidia saith Isidore a Orig. lib. 17 cap 9. cujus cum candor sit in foliis auri tamen species intus effulget The Lily is a milke white Flower from whence it takes its denomination from the whitenes of it and the whitenes of the Lily may signify Christs eternity And therefore S. Iohn the divine describing the parts of Christs Body sayes b Rev. 1.14 his Head and his Haires were white like Wooll as white as Snow for though c Perkins on the Rev. as hee is man he had a beginning yet in regard of his God-head he is eternall and is therefore called d Dan 7.22 the ancient of dayes there is nothing more ancient then he for he had a being when all other creatures were not being begotten of his Father before all time And therefore the Arrian out of his envious pride e Sidenham Ser. on John 8.50 is at once bountifull and injurious willing to invest Christ with the title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but disrobes him of that glorious title and his owne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 granting him a like essence with the Father not the same equall to him in power not eternity for if he bee a sonne saith he he must be borne and if borne there was a time when there was on sonne Indeed it is true according to the course of nature but this is so farre above it that f Es 53.8 who can declare it Cum natum confitemur non tamen non natum praedicamus saith S. Hilary g De Trin. li. 12. When we confesse that he was borne we do not say that he was not borne For ubi author aeternus est ibi nativitatis aeternitas est Where the author of the birth is eternall there is also an eternity of the nativity and from an eternall begetter proceeds an eternall begetting Indeed the Word h John 1.14 was made flesh but non amiserat quod erat sed coeperat esse quod non erat saith the same Father hee ceased not to be what he was before but he began to be in a new manner that he was not before The name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehovah derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Havah fuit he was in which name all time past present and to come is comprehended as the Rabbins k Becay on Ex. apul Aâ—nsworth have observed is given unto Christ who is called Ier. 23.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehovah tsidkenu the Lord our righteousnes intimating that hee is the same GOD that is l Rev. 1.8 that was ab aeterno from all eternity and will be in aeternum to all eternity Hee being the same yesterday m Heb. 13 8. before his comming to day at his comming and for ever even at his comming againe Heare Christ testifying of himselfe n John 5.26 as the Father hath life in himselfe so hath he given to the Son to have life in himselfe Apertissime docet saith Saint Cyrill o Th saur lib. 10. cap. 1. quod sicut pater in seipso aeternaliter vitam habet sic filius aeternaliter vitam in seipso habet As the Father hath life eternally in himselfe so hath the Son life eternally in himselfe As he was man p Athanas Creed of the substance of his Mother borne in the World so was he God of the substance of his Father begotten before the Worlds for hee is eternall being the white Lily of the Valleys But whitenes more properly signifies innocency and therefore the Latines call innocency candor which signifies whitenes and innocent men candidi white men and the holy Ghost seemes to allow it for the Church is said q Rev. 19.8 to be arrayed in fine linnen cleane and white which is the righteousnes or innocency of the Saints Seeing then that folia liliorum sunt purissima tam intus quam extra candidissima the Lily is most pure and white both within and without it fitly resembles the innocency both of Christs nature and action Nigra sunt vitia virtus candida est saith S. Bern. r In Cant. Ser. 7. vices are blacke but vertue is white So that Cicero might well affirme Å¿ De legibus li. 2 that Color albus praecipuè decorus Deo est the whitest colour is most agreeable to the highest Son of GOD. Absque liliis nunquam est qui absque vitiis semper est t Div. Bern. ubi supr He is never without the whitenes of the Lily that is ever without the blacknes of sinne Hee is fayrer then u Psal 45.2 the children of men And it may more truely be sayd of him then it was of Absolom w 2 Sam. 14.25 But in
the Church is profitable and healthfull to her members Shee restores health to her members by monitions and admonitions strengthning them that are sound by wholesome Doctrine and restoring them that are sicke by good discipline But if any member be past cure then w Ovid Metamorph Immedicabile vulnus Ense redendū est ne pars sincera trahatur Then shee cuts it off by the spirituall sword of Excommunication Those that are in the barren Wildernes without the pale of the Church are miserable there is mors in olla death is in their pot but those that are within the pale of the Church in that fruitfull Field are happy there is health in her bosome The Church of God is the House of God x 1 Tim. 3.15 the Pillar and ground of truth And shee is very profitable unto her members Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus is a common saying among the fathers without the Church there is no salvation Without the Church they cannot attayne unto the right of adoption whereby they that live faithfully are made actually the children of GOD. They that continue in the Ship of the Church are secure y Doctor Boy though the Sea make a noyse and stormes arise but hee that utterly forsakes the Ship of the Church and swims either in the cockboate of heresies or upon the windy bladders of his owne conceipt shall never touch the land of the living Those that are out of the Church have not the communion and interest of the members with the head and being no part of his body how can they lay claime to his benefits or challenge right to the Kingdome of heaven And to this purpose heaven is called z Acts. 26.18 the inheritance of them which are sanctifyed by faith in CHRIST Nothing now remaines to be spoken of at this time but onely that every one fill his pitcher with this water and carry it home for his owne use which that wee may doe I shall briefly apply First in that the Church is the red Rose by persecution every one should learne patience in his affliction Remember the sufferings of Christ wee doe but sup of that Cup which hee dranke quite off Nihil est quod non aequanimiter tolleretur si passio Christi in memoriam revocetur a St. Gregory There is no affliction so great no crosse so grievous that will not easily be borne by us if wee doe remember the sufferings of Christ And therefore Vniversa pro eo sustine qui prius pro te Majora sustinuit saith St. Bernard b de Resurrec Dom. suffer some persecution for his sake that suffered more for thine Secondly let us labour for our Renovation that our newnes of life may send forth a sweet savour in our conversation Thirdly in that the Church and the members thereof shall rise from the dead it affords matter of our consolation For so the Prophet David speakes c Psa 16.9.10 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope for thou wilt not leave my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Fourthly seeing the Church is of Gods owne plantation let us looke to our fructification Our Saviour putteth forth the parable of the Figge tree to us d Luke 13.6 A certaine man had a Figge Tree in his Vineyard and hee came and sought fruit thereon three Yeares Every one of us is a Tree planted in the Vineyard of the Church God hath expected fruit of us three Yeares in generall of the whole Kingdome under the Raignes of our most gracious Soveraignes Queene Elizabeth King Iames and King Charles in particular of every private persons the three ages of mans life infancy youth old age let not us give him the bark of an outward profession onely nor the leaves of good works but the fruit of good workes Lastly seeing the Church is open to all commers let every one of us labour to be of that corporation that we may bee partakers of all the benefits that accrew thereby and that being members of the Church militant we may reigne with the Church triumphant Which God grant unto us all for Iesus Christs sake To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be al honour and praise now and for ever Amen THE ROSE AND LILY. DELIVERED AT THE LECTVRE In ASHBY de-la-zouch in the County of Leicester By WILLIAM PARKS Master of Arts and curat of Chelaston in the County of DERBY 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Discendum propter docendum LONDON Printed by JOHN NORTON 1638. To The Right Worshipfull his much Honoured friend THOMAS PARKS Esquier SIR IF Elisha were at a stand when hee considered what the good Shunamite had done for him that hee askes a 2 Kings 4.13 What is to bee done againe for her And Ahasuerus for Mordecay when hee had receaved a good turne from him that hee saies b Esther 6.3 What hath beene done to him for this How much more maie I saie of you you have been beneficiall to mee from my Youth What dutie and service shall J returne to you againe J confesse that if there bee anie thing in these my weake labours that maie deserue acceptance you maie justlie challenge it as your owne Without whose bountie I had not lived in the University nor attained to that small measure of knowledge that J have And therefore being able to doe nothing else J commit this Sermon to your Patronage and protection and your selfe your fruitfull Vine and Olive branches to the protection of the Almighty desiring him to give you the blessings of his Right hand and of his left to fill you with the blessing of grace heere and of glorie hereafter Yours to be commanded in Christ Jesus WILLIAM PARKES THE ROSE AND LILY. SOLOMONS SONG 2.1 J am the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the vallyes WHat S. Ierome sayes a Ad Paulin. of the Catholique Epistles of S. Peter S. James S. John and S. Jude Breves esse pariter long as that they are both short and long so may I say of this Text it is short in words but long in matter And what S. Austin sayes b Praefat in Psal 87. of the fourescore and seaventh Psalme Brevis est numero verborum magnus pondere sententiarum that it is short in regard of the number of the words long in respect of the weightines of the matter so may I say of this Text it is a short sentence but full of sence conteyning matter for almost as many Sermons as it conteynes words It being but five words in the Originall yet is the subject of foure Sermons Three of them have been delivered formerly and now the fourth the same assistance strengthing and the same patience expecting is to be prosecuted in shewing you wherein the Church resembles the Lily of the Valleys First the Lily is open toward heaven but close and
rise againe If they had beleeved him and the stone had beene removed from their hearts as it was from the Sepulchre in stead of saying Sustulerunt Dominum w John 20 13. They have taken away the Lord they would have said resurrexit x Mat. 28.6 he is risen and indeed they contradict themselves in saying so for if he were their Lord how could he be taken away it was enough for Labans Idols to be stollen y Gen. 31.30 when Iesus appeared unto Mary she supposing him to be the Gardiner said z Iohn 20.15 Domine si tu or sir if thou have borne him from hence tell mee This Question was well asked Domine si sustulisti if you have taken him away for none could take him away but himselfe The Rose-tree though it be troden on and trampled on in the Winter yet by the heat of the Sunne by the heavenly influence without any other helpe it springs againe so though they sought to lay our Saviours honour in the dust and even trample on him yet by the power of his Divinity without other helpe he did Erigere caput lift up his head again Happily the Gardiner if it be a Garden Rose may remove some of the Earth for the Roses springing and an Angell descended a Mat. 28.2 and rolled away the stone for our Saviours rising Others did rise before Christ for Elijah b 1 Kings 17.22 raised the widowes dead sonne of Zarephath and Elisha being alive raised the Shunamites c 2 Kings 4 34 dead sonne and being dead his dead bones did raise d 2 Kings 13.21 a dead man These were great miracles which these great Prophets did but he that was anointed e Psal 45.7 with the oyle of gladnes above his fellowes did lift up his head among the rest Quantum lenta solent inter viburna cupressi f Virgil. as much as the loftiest Cedars overtop the lowest shrubs What they did it was in nomine fide ejus saith St. Cyprian g de resur Christ pag. 48. in his owne name and by his power but he as he layd downe his life of himselfe h Iohn 10.18 so he had power to take it up of himselfe They rose to die againe but he rose to live for ever for herein the resemblance doth not hold betweene him and the Rose the Rose springeth and dyeth againe the next winter but Christ being raysed i Rom. 6.9 from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him They did not conquer death but death did at last conquer them but Christ rediit victor a mortuis inferni secum spolia trahens k Ruffinus in Hym. Apost inter oper Cypriani did rise as a conquerour from the dead carrying with him Trophyes of his triumph over death and Hell And it was he onely Qui virtute propria ut victor prodiit de sepultura saith S. Bernard l De Resurrec Christi that by his owne power could rise as conquerour out of the Sepulchre Though they laid him in the earth they could not keepe him under the earth though they did Imponere Pelio Ossam m Virg. Georg. lib. 1. v. 181. lay a great stone upon the Sepulchre but at the Spring of the resurrection he rose againe herein shewing himselfe to be the springing Rose of Sharon and so I come to the limitation of this attribute Sharon I am the Rose of Sharon Sharon is the name n Ainsworth in locum of a place or playne which was very fruitfull wherein King Davids herds of Cattell o 1 Chron. 27.29 were fed And the Prophet speaking of the flourishing of Christs Kingdome saith p Isay 35.2 that the excellency of Carmel and Sharon shall be given unto it And in this sense it shewes that Christ takes no delight in them that are barren but in them that are fruitfull in good workes and also it shewes the fruitfull estate of the Church under Christ that it is no barren Doe but a fruitfull Hind and although before his coming shee was a barren Wildernesse yet by him she was as fruitfull as Sharon But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sharon in the originall signifies q Pagnin Lexic a Field in generall as well as the Field Sharon in particular and therefore give me leave to follow the old Translation of this word which renders it I am the Rose of the Field for therein lyes hid three mysteries First he is the Rose of the Field not of the Garden Campus enim sine omni humano floret adminiculo non seminatus ab aliquo non defossus sarculo non impinguatus fimo sic omnino sic virginis alwis floruit sic inviolata integra casta Mariae viscera tanquam pascua aeterni viroris florem protulere cujus pulchritudo non viderit corruptionem cujus gloria in perpetuum non marcescat saith S. Bernard r De Adventu Ser. 2. The Field flourisheth without mans industry it is neither sowed nor digged nor dunged by man but the Flowers grow in it by the providence of God so Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost without the help of man the virgins Wombe did flourish and her chaste bowels like a Field of eternall greennesse brought forth a Flower whose beauty never saw corruption and whose glory shal never wither The flowers of the Feild ſ Doctor Guilliam 7 Gold Candlest tract of the Incaru have onely a father in Heaven that is the Sunne by whose heat and vertue they grow and a mother in earth that is the ground from whence they spring so this Flower of the root of Iesse had onely a father in Heaven God and a mother in earth the virgin He was Deus de patre homo de matre de patris immortalitate de matris virginitate de patre sine matre de matre sine patre de patre sine tempore de matre sine semine saith Saint Augustine t De Tempore Ser 23. he was God of his father man of his mother of the immortality of his father of the virginity of his mother of his father without a mother of his mother without a father of his father without time of his mother without seed Anselmus hath observed v Lib 2. cap. 8. foure waies by which man may come into the world First by the help of man and woman the common way Secondly without the help both of man and woman as Adam Thirdly of a man without a woman as Eve Fourthly of a woman without a man as Christ God made the first Adam without the help of man for God w Gen. 2.7 formed him of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrills the breath of life so God made the second Adam without the help of man but the holy Ghost overshadowed the virgin and she conceived Ergo si tunc licuit hominem sine homine nasci