Idem in loc Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the * That is to the free gifts of the Spirit Haym o in loc waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eate yea come buy wine and milke milke if ye be weake wine if ye be sad without money and without price or freely Esa 55.1 Again if any man be a thirst let him come unto me and drink that is let him derive from me by a lively faith so much spirituall grace as may * Bibat potum illum salutarem qui animam reficiat et omnem aâ—stâ— cupiditatum hujus mundi reflinguat Cyril l. 5. in Ioh. c. 10. quench his thirsting after the things of this world Ioh. 7.37 adde Matth. 11.28 Mark 5.36 You see by all these sacred passages what warrant you have to apply Christ and to perswade your selves that Christ will do for you what may be done For as much as he both invites you to come unto him and also tels you what you shall have and finde in him when you come unto him and take him into your very souls as you take meat and drink into your bodies namely whatsoever is necessary for the life of your souls shadowed forth by bread and wine and milk and water which things as ye know are most necessary and usefull for the preservation of the naturall life of man and therefore in Gods name take yea eate and drink Christ even most confidently and boldly as the onely soveraign medicinall Rose or Rose-water which must revive and cure your sin-sick soules assuring your selves that in all the foresaid Cases he will doe for you what is to be done for your everlasting health 5. But withall 5 Rule I must advise you that as men who are to take bodily Physick are to pray unto God for a blessing so beleeving you will beseech and invocate the Lord Jesus Christ who is both Physick as a Rose and the Physician himself as he is a Saviour that he will blesse your endeavours and make himself effectuall unto your poore and sickly souls More particularly that like a Rose he will purge out choler and hatred and lustfulnesse and envie and pride and every other corruption that you may be most troubled with and that he will cleere your sight that you may see your sinfulnesse more then you did and take away your stonie hearts that you may be able to mourn or to grieve more for your sinnes then you did and that he will dissolve all stoppages within you and enlarge your hearts that so you may run after him in the way of his commandements and that he will be pleased to establish your hearts and to pardon your offences and to give rest unto your souls and to take away all trembling from your hearts Moreover pray him with all humblenesse of minde that he will not suffer your graces to decay nor to be so dead as sometimes you are but rather will quicken your spirits and when you be a thirst after more grace that he will satisfie you and when you begin to thirst too inordinately after the things of this life that he will quench your thirst that you thirst so no more and when his fathers wrath is kindled against you that he will appease it and when you be comfortlesse and have lost a deare friend that he will comfort you and when you are sick in body and weake in faith that he will strengthen you Thus according to the Cases formerly prosecuted beseech Christ to be good unto you and if he seeme to be strange and inexorable then urge him as the good Shunamite the Prophet Elisha when her sonne was dead saying As the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth I will not leave thee 2 King 4.30 So say thou unto Christ as thou livest I will not leave thee till thou help me or as * Si sâ—â—e duâ—io â—â—eÌ„tis accesseris dixeris ei niss accepero non credam â—ross us accipies si â—amen â—â—sum postuâ—aâ—eris qxe â—â—m daredaeat tibi â—â—tentiâ—â—â—i â—â—â—â—cdiat 〈…〉 Chrysostome would have us unlesse thou give me what according to thy will I desire of thee I will not beleeve thee assuring thy self that thou shalt impetrate and have what thus * It moveth ingenu 〈◊〉 natures to ses mâ—n take 〈◊〉 denâ—alls well which proud personâ— will not do and so it movâ—th God Th. Goodwin in his return of prayers â— 212. importunately thou doest postulate and crave See Luk. 18.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Matth. 15.26 27. how Christ himself would both have us to be importune and instant and how he commendeth the woman of Canaan which was so constant and would not give him over till he did help her And I could tell you even of many wonders which fervent and importunate praying hath wrought from time to time constraining Christ to help his people which prayed even beyond hope and imagination and contrary to the course of nature to encourage you but I le content my self with one instance onely for the present which may suffice * Foxe act men p. 689 When Solymaniâ— had besieged Gunza in Hungary and eight companies were entred in the middest of the town there was gathered in a house a company of women children and impotent folk which made such a noise with their cry and prayers that went up to heaven as that the Turks thought a new supply did come against them and so left the citie again and compounded with it whereupon that poore place was miraculously preserved and therefore I say again pray whensoever you be in any distresse though you can have but as little hope as they of that little citie Christ himself seeming to be against you as he seemed to be utterly against the good woman of Canaan yet pray and say unto him as she said Lord help nay cry and cry even mightily as the same Canaan petitioner and as the said poor women and children of Gunza did cry saying againe and againe and againe Lord help and if that will not do it cry again both day and night using the same words or some such like ô Lord Jesus sweet Rose of Sharon help for we are grievously vexed of the Devill or thus Lord help for we are grievously tormented of thy fathers wrath or thus Lord help for we are grievously perplexed by reason of sin Thus in all the foresaid Cases cry out for help and * Nam cui quaeso in dubiis aestuanti fluctuanti non subito ad invocationâ—m clarinominis emicuit certitudo Bern. super Cant. Serm. 15. fol. 125. doubt you not but that as Christ said at last to the good woman of Canaan O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee as thou wilt So as that her daughter was made whole from that very houre Matth. 15.28 and as that good people of Gunza was blessedly preserved upon their loud-crying prayers so you also shal be
you of five things as namely 1. Where this rose is to be sought 2. Where with it is to be taken 3. When it is to be sought 4. Wherefore or upon what grounds 5. What impediments must be removed that it may be sought and taken For the first I say that Christ is to be sought for 1. In the Law be sought for 2. In the Gospell 1. This Rose of Sharon is to be sought for in the Law preached 1 Dilatation of this use for so saith the Apostle Wherefore the Law was our Schoolemaster to bring us to * Christ Gal. 3.24 Whereupon it followeth that as he who will gather roses must seeke for them among * Nam â—osa ex spina nascitur Plâ—n nat bist l. 21 thornes So he that will come to Christ must come to him by the pric king thornes of the law as those converts Acts 2.37 who were sore pricked in their hearts before they could be so happy as to enjoy Christ and the reason of this assertion is most evident and plain For as long as we are not to some purpose terrified by the law and made sensible of our owne misery we will not care for Christ even as scarce any body would have cared much for the brazen serpent lifted up in the wildernesse if it had not been for the fierie serpents which having stung men unto death compelled them to looke up so we would hardly make account of Christ if the terrours of the law like fierie serpents should not sting us to death and make us afraid of death death I meane everlasting Simile Or if you will take this comparison Men by nature are like mariners passengers in a ship which is in great danger not far from a great rocke as long as they have the least hope that they may escape and be saved in the ship they will not leap into the sea and swim but when they are told by the skilfull shipmaster that there is no hope of life unlesse they doe so then they will rather swim and try whether they may come to the rocke there to be saved then die and sinke in the ship So as long as men in the state of nature which is like a broken ship very daÌ„gerous may have any hope to go up to heaven do well enough abiding where they are i.e. in the state of open prophanenes or civil honesty or pharasaicall hypocrisie and keeping their bosome-sins they will not wagge one foot to goe to Christ thus as they ought forgoing and forsaking all their darling delights and sinfull profits honours and contentments but when once they are absolutely and roundly told by that skilfull schoolemaster or shipmaster whose name is Law that if they abide in that state and forsake not their forlorne hopes and sweetest sins which are like greatly desired goods in a broken ship they must perish and sinke and be engulphed in that formidable lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21.8 then then will they rather doe so then dye rather swim to Christ who is like a * 1 Cor. 10. â—â— rocke upon any termes then perish with their goods I should say profits pleasures honours in hell for evermore And therefore if any of you all that want Christ doe in good earnest desire to get Christ Let him not refuse to heare the law and to thinke on it seriously that so he may be thereby terrified and urged effectually to goe to Christ even speedily that he may not be damned eternally But hereof more is to be said hereafter This is but to make way for them 2. This rose of Sharon is to be sought in the Gospell preached 2 In the Gospell which is like a field for its largenesse because therein Christ offereth himselfe to as many as will come to him saying Come to me all you that travell and are heavy laden and I will ease you Matt. 11.28 so as that he might well compare himselfe here to a rose in Sharon field which is not so inclosed and reserved as your garden roses are but may be had of any that travelleth by and hath a mind to it for doe but marke his speech and you shall see it Come unto me all ye that travell marke all as if he should say I doe not either reserve my selfe to my selfe or deny my selfe to any that would have me No but I am ready and willing to ease and to embrace even with the dearest embraces of my love any poore travelling soule that comes to me and therefore come hither all ye poore sinners that groane under the burden of your sins and seeke Christ in this sweet and gracious promise for here you shall undoubtedly find him he cannot go from it because he is faithfull SECT 9. Faith must be gotten for the taking of Christ 2. ONly I must tell you 2 Dilatatiâ— of this use Get faith that as he will plucke a rose must have a hand to plucke it with so you must have the hand of faith wherewith you may and must lay hold on Christ beleeving verily that according to his faithfull promise he will be a Saviour unto you and refocillate you and ease your poore soules of the most heavy and grievous burden of sin and that you shall have rest by him here and hereafter eternally in the heavens See Iohn 6.37 Him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out But how shall we get faith Quest Sol. I answer Christ himselfe is the author of it Heb. 12.2 and he works it by his word and spirit Rom. 10.17 1 Cor. 12.9 and therefore goe to him by prayer and cast your selves downe before the throne of his grace both before and after the hearing of his word and beg of him that as he hath given you hands to take your meat with and to gather and plucke roses for the good of your bodies in sicknesse that you may live the life of nature so he would give you the hand of faith wherewith you may take and apprehend him being that most sweet and medicinall rose of Sharon for the good of your soules that they may live the life of faith here and the life of glory hereafter Now it may be that Christ will not heare ye by and by because you would not heare him when he did seeke after you in the preaching of his faithfullest messengers but let not that dismay you for he loves to be importuned and therefore solicite him againe and againe and be ye as earnest with him as once Rachel was with Iacob when she said Give me children or else I die Gen. 30.1 so say ye unto Christ O Lord Jesus who art the author of faith and canst give it to whom thou wilt even as thou canst give children when and to whom thou wilt give us faith Lord or else we die and perish for ever or else as once a good old * Ioh. Badly bornt in King Heâ—y the 4. time Anno
of men in respect of the exact beautifulnesse and comly lineaments of his body whether wee looke upon it as it was in the state of humiliation or as now is in the state of exaltation First in the state of humiliation for all deformities of the body proceede originally from enormities of the soule therefore Christ being exemped from the one must needs be far too from the other as in his minde so in his body whose glorious most excellent beauty even y Eutropius in Annal Senatorum Roonr Cent. 1. l. 1 c. 10. p. 34. Cassanaus in Catalog part 4. Consid 6. Lentulus a RomaÌ„ in his Epistle to Tiberius the Romane Emperour describeth after his manner that hee was a man goodly to behold having a reverent countenance his stature some what tall his haire after the colour of the ripe hazelnut from his eares downeward somewhat curled parting it selfe in the middest of the head and waving with the winde after the manner of the Nazarites his face without wrincle mixed with moderate red his beard somewhat copious tender and divided at the chin his eyes gray various cleere but what need we goe so farre as to alledge the Roman writers having a farre more ample and surer description of Christs most admirable beauty nearer home even in this same sweetest love-Song out of which my text is taken the words are these My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand his head is as the most fine gold his locks are bushie and blacke as a raven his eies are as the eies of doves by the river of water washed with milke and fitly set his cheekes are as a bed of spices as sweet flowers his lips like Lillies dropping sweet smelling myrrhe his hands are as gold-rings set with the Beryll his belly is as bright yvory overlaid with saphires his legs are as pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold his countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars his mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely This is my beloved and this is my friend O daughters of Ierusalem Now I am not ignorant of that sense which some put upon these words understanding them altogether of Christs spirituall and inward beauty and I doe willingly assent unto them in this that that fairenesse is z And therfore I doe so expound it in the first let or impedimeÌ„t that keeps men from Christ where this whole description is largely â—pened Sect. 12. chiefly meant But yet I hope I shall be suffered to extend the largenesse of so rare an expression to his body also in some sort even so farre forth as to conceive that his body also must needs be passing faire as well as his soule even by vertue of this description which his faire Spouse ends with this Epiphonema or sententious close Hee is altogether lovely or throughout and wholly lovely or delectable forsomuch the a Tetus ipse in universum delactabilis desiderabilâ—s original doth more significantly import he is throughout and wholly lovely saith she whereupon it followeth necessarily that his body must be so lovely too for else it cannot be said that he is wholly lovely and throughout delectable and hence it is as I conceive that Tremellius who hath been a Jew converted being most expert in the holy language doth understand many passages in this description literally and not he only but others also who yet in many things are very mysticall If it be objected that in Esa 53.2 3. Toms in ver 13. he is said to have neither forme So Chrys in Psal 45. nor beauty I answer first with Saint Hierome that the Prophet speaks so of Christ as he was abased and abused upon the crosse and before when Pilat brought him forth and uttered these words Ecce homo Behold a man and I adde b Theodoret. in text that in regard of some he is said to have no forme because they then could not nor would not see any such beauty in him c Hieron Epist ad Priâ—cip for otherwise the godly see comlinesse enough in him as I noted before out of the 45. Psal 2. Thou art fairer then the children of men on which words one of the d Augsin lâ—â— ancient paraphrasts most sweetly Vnto us who beleeve the heavenly bridegroome seems to be every way most faire faire in heaven faire on earth faire in the wombe faire in his mothers armes faire in his miracles faire in his stripes faire upon his crosse faire in his very grave 2. But especially in the state of Exaltation his body must needs be fairer then the sons of men for if the face of Moses did shine so after he had been with God upon the mount where nothing but lightening and thundering was to be expected how must needs the precious body of the son of God now shine with incomprehensible splendor being next to Gods owne right hand in that holy hill above where there is nothing but light and blisse brightnesse and blessednesse to be enjoyed for ever and ever See Phil. 3.20 How therefore that holy and blessed Apostle cals his body a glorious body * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a body of his glory which is more according to the originall as if he should say a body all full or made of glory and of his glory which is the glory of the only begotten son of God whose bright shining Deity doth so illustrate clarifie and glorifie all his body as that every part and member of it must needs be infinitely more resplendent and bright then that of the sun which yet is farre more glistering and glorious then the burnished gold of Ophir And therefore O my soule doe thou elevate and lift up thy selfe above thy selfe and consider this ravishing and transcendent beauty of thy most deare and glorious Saviour so as that no creature under the sun may be fairer and dearer in thine eies then he who is fairer then all 2. This informes us of Christs usefulnesse The second thing Seeing he compares himselfe to A Rose which how usefull and medicinall it is all men know in some sort but Physicians and such as have any skill in herbs know it in an especiall manner Petr. Andr. Matth. l. 1. Diosc c. 112. There is scarce any herb or flower to be named which for its vertue and usefulnesse goes beyond it Now Christ is like it as he saith himselfe yea transcendently more medicinall and usefull then it For he can heale all our inward and outward spirituall and corporall diseases Psal 103. when Roses though never so faire and good yet cannot cure so much as one sin which is a most dangerous gangrene and leprosie of the poore soule And therefore O that the besotted soules of men were but sensible of so great a worth and inestimable good as is to be had in so precious a Rose as Jesus Christ is blessed for ever and ô that they
did but weigh it and firmely beleeve it for then they could not nor would neglect so great salvation 3. And must not Christ be very desirable The 3. thing seeing he compareth himselfe to a Rose which is as desirable a flower as any both for her fairenesse and usefulnesse formerly mentioned See Iohn 1.47 how desirous therefore Nathaniell was to see him and Luke 19.4 how Zacheus climbed upon a tree to looke downe upon him that was higher then the heavens and it was the chiefest of Saint Austines three wishes that he might have seen Christ in the flesh whom he now beholdeth in glory And therefore O that men were but wise and had eyes to see and eares to heare for then would they resort and flocke from all parts to Iesus Christ the rose of Sharon to he are his voice with gladnesse and to see his fairenesse and to taste of his goodnes yea then would they out of some experience doubtlesse say with his faire spouse Cant. 5.16 His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or desirable SECT 3. Satisfaction for the Consciences of Christs people 1. THis faire flower and most usefull point is good for the conscience two wayes 〈◊〉 Which is also a part of the understanding Tho. Aqu. 1. p. q. 79. a. i. 1. This serves to satisfie the conscience 1. It will serve to satisfie the Conscience of those men who would faine know whether Christ is in them or no For they may know it now by such marks and signes as may be derived from this present comparison our Saviour you see assimilates and resembles himselfe to a rose and therefore I. Those that are inhabited by Jesus Christ 1 Marke may know it by the mightinesse of his purging Vertue If one take but fading Damask-Roses conserved they will purge and cleanse the body you know much more doth Christ the soule that most medicinall Rose of Sharon whose words falling from him like leaves of Roses and being taken inwardly did once so purifie his best beloved disciple as that nothing in this whole world could make them cleaner for so saith Christ himselfe Iohn 15.3 Now ye are cleane through the word which I have spoken unto you and hence is that Apostolicall conclusion Gal. 5.24 And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof But I now not what here will be objected by a scrupulous Christian Obiect saying Then I feare that I am none of Christs because I am not able to say so that I am thus cleansed and that I have thus crucified the flesh for as much as I am so pestered still with abundance of filthy and corrupt humors which seem even to fill up my poore soule yea and breake out now and then in my life and conversation to my confusion For Answer Sol. whereunto I must tell you that when we affirme that Christ doth purge out sin and that they that are Christs have crucified the flesh We must not be so understood as if Christ did take away sin quite and that they that are his are without sin No 1 Iohn 1.8 for if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us saith S. John and he that thinketh he liveth without sin doth not avoid sin but rather excludes all pardon saith S. Austin and you know your selves how between the very rocks some weeds do usually grow and spring up i Aug l. 14. c. 9. de Civ Dei which may teach us that though a man be in the rocke Christ and Christ in him yet some weeds of sin may ill be seen in his life and conversation as Paul testifies of himselfe that even in the estate of his regeneration Sin did dwel in him Rom. 7.20 In what sense then is a man in Christ said to be purged from sin Quest and to have crucified sin I answer first when Sin is resisted Answ Gal. 5.17 For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other Not to sin is to stir against and resist sin and so to study to be pure 2. When Sin is hated Beza in Psal 119. Dicuntur non peccare quia peccato non consentiunt quin potius luctando luctantur Calvin in 1 John 3. Piscat in locum Rom. 7.15 Psal 119.104 like an enemy who invading a people that desires to live quiet and unmolested is detested of all the countrey 3. When it is not usually practised as it is written Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin that is he doth not make a trade or usuall practise of sin as learned Interpreters expound that hard and difficult sentence and the reason of it is because his seed remaineth in him saith the Apostle there that is l Reyâ—olds the word of promise as some say or the m Ames in Coron principle of externall perseverance or the n Piscat in loc spirit of Christ as others take it because Christ himselfe hath said that he shall abide with us and in us and that for ever Iohn 14.16 17. So as that sin cannot possibly live nor enthrone it selfe there where he is thus resident but rather must be weakened and die and decay more and more and become unable to doe the hurt which it did once in him in the state of unregeneracy and doth still in others who are yet enslaved by it o Cypr. l. 4. Epist 7. Saint Cyprian compares sin and Satan with his angels in this respect most aptly to scorpions and serpents who being precipitated into the water can doe no hurt there for so they can doe no damage neither much lesse destroy such as are regenerated by the Spirit of God who is like to the water and remaineth in the regenerate that such scorpions or serpents may not prove hurtfull nor deadly unto them nor have dominion over them Q. But here it may be you will reply Quest that though you may easily know you doe not live in the usuall and outward practise of any sin yet you know not what to make or to thinke of inward sinfull motions whether you doe not inwardly practise one sin or other for many such motions because they doe not breake out but both arise and die within can hardly bee discerned when they prevaile and when not how shall one know say you that such inward evill motions doe not prevaile within though they doe not manifest themselves in our lives without us For Answer Solut. whereunto I must tell you in the first place that most certainly this case which here is propounded is very difficult and therefore I desire the all wise and all-gracious God so to enlighten my minde with the rayes and beames of his holy Spirit as that I may be able to resolve you as I ought according to the rule of his holy and heavenly oracles
evill motions when 5 Evidence being tried and provoked afterward we can stand out like a Rocke unmovable and impenetrable and doe not as we would do if it were not for Christs dwelling in us by his holy and blessed Spirit Gal. 5.17 wherein such gracious soules mainly differ from all unbeleeving persons who being without Christ though they may keep in and seeme to have overcome their evill motions yet will be ever ready to discover themselves in time of tryall and provocation for they are but like Leopards chained and kept in a den who being let loose and meeting with a prey will manifest the cruelty of their natures forthwith See Ier. 13.23 So as that thereby we may easily conceive how fitly also even then when they doe not breake out they are resembled to an Oven heated by the Baker Hos 7.4 that is the devill who is the baker that heats their hearts so as that like an oven stopped they are so much the hotter within their hearts doe even burne with envy or pride and wrath and lust and the love of money 6. VVe may understand that evill motions reigne not in us 6 EvideÌ„ce though they rage when we doe lament them after we have been foiled and vanquished by them at any time giving way to them and taking pleasure in any of them against the study bent and purpose of our hearts Like Tamar who though she had lost her virginity being forced by her brother Ammon but secretly and closely in a close roome yet did afterward most lamentably bewaile and bemoane the same See Rom. 7.23 24. how the Apostle himselfe who being forced like Tà mar 2 Sam. 13.19 and brought into Captivity to the Law of Sin by sin dwelling in him and prevailing now and then against him in his mind and soule did bemoan himselfe saying O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death and how he did prevaile for all this and was respectively delivered as he implyeth in the words following I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind that is the part regenerate I my selfe serve the Law of God but with the flesh that is the part unregenerate the Law of Sin 2. Those that have Christ in their hearts truly 2 Marke generall may know it by the very smell and sweetest fragrancy which he sends forth out of the heart into every part and member of the body So as that their thoughts must needs even smell as it were of Christ Eph. 4.29 most sweetly and their words likewise and workes must be most pleasant gracious and savoury For if there be but corruptible and withering roses in a close roome you know how sweetly and strongly all that roome doth smell of roses how much more must the hearts and the lives of those be most sweet and fragrant who have and carry within them the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe that sweetest rose of Sharon whose s V. stimenta ejâ—s sunt sancti ejus electi ejus tâ—ta Ecclesia ejus Aug. in loc garments smell all of Myrrh and Aloes and Cassia Psal 45.8 VVhen Polycarpus was to be sacrificed unto the Lord by fire by the hands of his most bloudy persecutors who not beeing able to burne him because the fire would not touch him did at last kill him with the sword as he was standing in the midst of the fire all resplendent r Euseb Ecc. hist l. 4 c. 14. like shining burnisht gold his body did send forth such an odoriferous and sweet savour as they of Smyrna record it in an Epistle of theirs as if it had been perfumed with incense or some other fragrant and aromaticall Essence Now though every other ordinary Christians body doe not yeeld such a miraculous odor yet you may read as much in effect of a most gracious perfume which the precious soules of all Christs beleeving members his mysticall Spouse doe send forth in a most sweet and pleasant manner Cant. 3.6 Who is this that commeth out of the wildernesse like pillars of smoake perfumed with myrrhe and frankincense with all the powders of the Merchants Marke Who is this saith Christ the coelestiall bridegroome of his faire Spouse the Church and her members That commeth out of the wildernesse that is u Greg. in loc out of this world which is like a wildernesse Like pillars of smoake that is having an aspiring and ascending mind Perfumed with myrrhe and frankincense and with all the powders of the Marchant that is being perfumed and sweetned with all the most fragrant and sweet smelling graces of the Spirit of Christ who being the Merchant here spoken of doth so perfume and grace the same SECT 4. Conviction for such as want Christ 2. THis point may serve to convince the Consciences of all carnall 2 This point serves to convince the conscience civill and hypocriticall men and women that Christ is not in them For Christ is like a Rose wheresoever he is yeelding a most sweet and fragrant sent but they doe even stinke by reason of their abominable thoughts words and deeds Like the snuffe of an extinct candle as the Apostle doth mostaptly describe them Tit. 1.15 affirming that such as are unbeleevers are also abominable or execrable odious and stinking-persons as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e malâ— oâ—â—tes a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. foetor extinctae lucernae originall plainly sheweth Say therefore or thinke what you will of your estates you that are so bad I must needs tell you to your faces that Christ is not in you For if Christ did inhabit in you your thoughts words and workes would be as sweet and savory as Christ is that most sweet and fragrant rose of Sharon but now thy words and works O thou prophane Esauite are detestable and though thou hypocrite and civill honest man make a faire shew without and professe much yet are thy very inward parts reserved imaginations and closest thoughts most execrable for they smell altogether and stinke of hellish pride and devillish envy of filthy lusts and dunghill covetousnesse and therefore who will beleeve any of you that Christ that is in you you your selves will never beleeve a man though he should sweare that there are roses in his closet or chest if when he openeth it you smell in stead of roses nothing but dung and stinking carrion Now this is just your case O ye carnall civill and hypocriticall men and women you may thinke or say Christ is in you and so consequently that you have saving faith in Christ but when you doe but open your mouthes and disclose your thoughts unlocking the chests and closets of your hearts by your deeds then we can smell nothing but the ill savour of boasting or lying or rayling or cursing or banning or swearing or coveting or lusting or ryoting which stinks worse then any dung And when you keep in such stuffe and
professe our selves to be Christs espoused members and yet are so regardlesse of our selves many times and doe so disfigure defile and staine our selves with such a numberles number of sins and transgressions which are the very excrements of abused and polluted soules as that both at home and abroad we doe even disgrace our holy profession and dishonour that King of glory Jesus Christ our dearest Savior who is most like unto a Rose fresh and faire and therefore requires a singular fairenes of carriage and conversation of all those who call themselves after his name and will be reputed to be his mysticall Spouse If a poore maid should be married to a Lord or knighâ— as faire as Absalom and as wise and rich as Solomon able and willing to provide her the richest clothes and bracelets and jewels as if she were a Queene and yet she should not carry her selfe somwhat accordingly neatly and decently at least nor make some advantage unto her selfe of so great and good a husband according to her degree but should come before him like a beggar in filthy rags and all besmeared and goe likewise abroad thus among the people would not all that know her cry shame on her that having such an excellent husband she should disgrace both him and her self well if we doe indeed belong to Christ and beleeve in Christ then are we espoused unto Christ who is fairer then Absalom being the rose of Sharon and is also both able and ready to clothe us even as Saul the Lords anointed did clothe the daughters of 〈◊〉 in Sharleâ— I meane the skarlet 〈◊〉 of his owne righteousnesse and to put on even ornaments of gold of grace upon our apparell 2 Sam. 1.24 that we may be all glorious within Psal 45.13 and therefore how can I chuse but cry shame upon all you that are loose and carelesse professors who take your selves to be thus richly and happily married and yet are not ashamed to come in the glorious presence of that goodliest and fairest bridegroome of all bridegroomes Christ Jesus with hands and mouthes and hearts all soiled and beslubbered with sin which is that abominable and hatefull thing Esa 1.14 And so in like manner dare even to goe abroad among men of all sorts with such foule mouths and filthy hands and polluted hearts to the great dishonour of so great a king and the almost irreparable and irrecoverable dammage of your owne soules whom hereby you expose to his fierce and flaming wrath for the time present and likewise y Defraud and dispossâ—sse your selves defraud and dispossesse your selves of all those rarest and richest comforts which doe so happily replenish and revive the blessed hearts of other carefull and gracious Christians who doe alwayes industriously labour to be faire even as he is faire and glorious even as he is glorious and pure as he is pure 1 Iohn 3.3 be ashamed therefore of your selves all you that are so regardlesse of your selves that dare presume to bring even into Gods owne house and presence such foule and filthy souls as are altogether stuffed and topfull with most horrible execrable thoughts that embolden your selves to lift up there such contaminated and defiled hands as have touched many unclean things but a little before yea and moreover to open such filthy mouths as have exhaled and uttered so many vaine impure and unseemly speeches when you were even ready to enter the Congregation Assure your selves that if you shall not henceforth labour with all possible care to carry yourselves more fairely then hitherto you have done that this very performance the word you heare the prayer you make will be a meanes even to increase and to aggravate those stinging tortures wherewith the most jealous most just and righteous God will vexe and plague those foule and filthy soules of yours here in this present life though he doe not cast and throw them into hell hereafter in case they belong unto him by the irrevocable degree of his eternall predestination SECT 7. Comfort for Gods carefull people 3. THis point may serve to cheare up all Gods people 3 This serves to comfort and to cheere up Gods people that their deare Saviour is thus pleased to compare himselfe to a Rose For as roses are able to comfort the very heart and to * Tho. Hill in his art of gardening p. 88. rejoice the bloud so Christ must needs be very comfortable too yea transcendently more 1. I say Christ must needs be much more comfortable refreshing and reviving and that in a twofold respect For 1. 1 Respect bâ— Râ—sa râ—fâ—igerat Dioscor l. 1. c 112. de medica materia Id. c. 113. as roses doe * refresh and coole mens bodies in hot diseases * and sweats and allay the heate So Christ is able to allay the burning heate of hell fire though you should feele it sweating as it were in your very soul as he sweat bloud himselfe in the anguish of his soule Luke 22.44 to deliver us from the horror and fire of hell and to make us glad 2. 2 Respect c Petr. Aâ—dr Mattbiol in Dioscer l. 1. c. 112. As roses doe revive men when they are taken with dead palsies So Christ will restore his to life againe Ioh. 6.54 Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day 2. I affirme that Christ is transcendently more comfortable then a rose For as much as every d Dâ—onys Areopag excellency and goodnesse which is in any creature is is still after a more excellent manner in the Creator And here that you may see this transcendency as much as I am able to make you see it I pray you take notice of these following disproportions 1. 1 Disproportion Sometimes I meane in the wiâ—ter there is not a fresh rose to be seen nor to be had in all the fields of c I say our land because about Carthage there are fresh roses all the winter long as Petr. Andr. Matth. in l. 1. Dâ—â—sâ— c. 112. affirmeth it our land if one would give never so much for any to smell to it but Christ is ever to be found and never wanting unto those that seeke him neither winter nor summer that is in adversity as well as in prosperity yea most of all and chiefly then Esa 43.1 2. and therefore how much more comfortable must he needs be then all roses 2. 2 Disproportion And though also other corruptible roses may be had and used yet can they not administer comfort unto us at all times even whilest we have them how ever they may exhilarate the heart at some times but Christ as he is alwaies to be found in a time of need so is he alwaies able to comfort us in a time of need Heb. 4.16 3. 3 Dâ—spâ—â—portion When other roses doe yet comfort the heart alas how cold and weak is that comfort being not
soule to make it lightsome serene and chearfull You will have all things common with you according to the m Omnia amicorum communia nature of true friendship which * Arist l. 8. Eth. c. 9. requireth a societie and consists of a societie 1. A common righteousnes I mean in the first place Ier. 23.6.1 Cor. 1.1 30.2 Cor. 5.21 2. A common Father Iohn 20.17 3. A common kingdome Ioh. 17.24 2 Pet. 1.11 4. A common throne in that celestiall kingdome Rev. 1.11 Now tell me what friend else can doe so much for you as this friend will doe for you Is there any that you know among all the friends you have and in whom you take most delight No No there can be none such but Christ none but Christ and therfore O that you were willing to forget even father mother brethren and sisters and all your kindred yea and all other friends besides that are carnall for this deare friend Christ his sake as it is written Hearken O daughter and consider and encline thine eare and forget also thine owne people and thy fathers house Psal 45.10 The Lord incline your hearts to doe it that so you also may be able to say in truth This Christ who is that pleasant rose of Sharoâ— is our friend also as well as yours ô ye daughters of Jerusalem Cant. 5.16 3. Consider Christs lovingnesse who for being like a rose Châ—â—â—â— lovingnesse and as red as a rose in regard of his bloudshed he must needs be most loving or else he would never shed his heart blood for us See how the Apostle reasoneth * 1 Ioh. 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God that is of Christ who is God as well as man because he laid down his life for us Great was the love of these two great friends * Val Max. lib. 4. Damon and Pythias who were even ready to dye one for another but greater was Christs who did lay down his Life for us being then none of his friends but his greatest Enemies Rom. 5.10 and therefore how loving ô how loving a Saviour say I must Christ needs be who out of his meere and free love would even unsoule himself for us men by death and depose his blessed life for us rebels that had justly expoâ—ed our selves to the stroke of death by our sinfull life O go go then unto this loving and gracious Saviour ye poore sinners go be not afraid of him for if he would have you die he would never have dyed himself for you and if he were minded to deny you that eternall life which every one of you should infinitely preferre before this present life which is but fraile and mortall and momentany he would never have laid down his own most precious life to deliver you from that death which is eternall or thus as Manoahs wife said once to her husband when he was afraid that they should should surely dye because they had seen God If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a burnt offering at our hands and a meat offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us at those things nor would he at this time have told us such things as these Iudg. 13.22 23. so say I unto you if happily you be afraid least you dye and that for ever being damned by the Law of God for your sins in generall and for your unbeliefe in speciall because you have not yet by faith seen and beheld the Lord Christ as it is written he that beleeveth not is condemned already Iohn 3.18 if the were pleased to kill you he would not have offered himself as an offering unto God his Father upon the crosse neither would he have now shewed you all these things which you have heard related of him onely * Aug. in Psal 148. Crede Crede c. beleeve beleeve on him and then you shall not die but live For so God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth on him should not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3.16 wherefore * Ezech. 18.31 32. cast away from you all your transgressions whereby you have transgressed and so going away from your sins go and draw neere to Christ by faith in his name which the Lord in mercy grant you For why will you dye ô house of Israel Or thus why will you dye ô ye poore sinners the Lord hath not pleasure in the death of him that dyeth wherefore turne your selves and turne in unto Christ by faith and live you The Lord of life put life in you that ye may live I humbly beseech his Majestie 4. Consider also my dearely beloved 4 Christs neeâ—fulnesse the needfulnesse of Christ who therefore resembles himself to arose that you may see what need you have of him For Roses as you know we can * The rose is chiefe of all flowers William Langham in his garden of health pag. 535. hardlyest spare of all flowers because they be so usefull and so medicinall whereby you may easily conceive how needfull then Christ himself is in whom as the Creator according to that often mentioned rule there must needs be more medicinallnesse and needfulnesse then possibly can be in a created Rose unto which he is pleased to compare his sacred self Take a view of some particular respects 1. See how needfull he is in regard of the life naturall 2. In regard of the life spirituall 3. In regard of the Life eternall 1. To begin with the life Naturall 1 Inregard of the life Naturall what is it without Christ but a cursed death for without him you are still under the curse Gal. 3.10 13 So as that your very meat and drink and wealth and store and fruits and bodies are all accursed see Deut. 28.15 16 17 18. till Christ who was made a curse for them that beleeve deliver you from that curse Gal. 3.10 and have you not cause enough to go to Christ to be freed from such a curse some Emperours and Kings have even prostrated themselves before the Popes of Rome being but excommunicated by Popes to be freed from their curse * Lob. Corion Câ—â—en lib. 4 p. 217. Nicolaus Vigniâ—â— An. 11â—77 Frederick Barbarossa that glorious and victorious Emperour of Rome did even suffer one of the Popes of Rome to tread upon his neck to have his absolution and to free his son who was then the Popes prisoner at Venice But you for your part need not goe to the Pope of Rome but onely to Christ by faith who is in the middest of us to be exempted from the curse of God upon your estates and bâ—dies as well as souls and you need not put your necks under the odious feet of an imperious and inâ—â—â—ing Pope but under the yoke of Christ who saith I am lowly and my yoke is easie and my burden is light Mâ—â— b. 11.29 30. and should ye not be
Christ that is most firmly and unchangeably pleasant embrace with Demas the transitory pleasures of this present world â— Tim 4 10 I desire you who are such to lay it to heart and to thinke seriously of it that you may change your minds before God change your conditions which for ought I know may be very shortly 3. And are not all these things 8 DiffereÌ„ce which you doe so dote upon most base and low even much below your immortall and heavenly borne spirits whereas Christ is most high and sublime and therefore were much fitter for your high and immateriall soules then those base things here below Take a survey of some of them 1. What is Beauty in men or women but a little colourâ—d skin covering raw flesh and sometimes much rotten stuffe * Non intelligo quid tantopere expetendumhabeat iste non solidus nec in ipso homine nise superâ—icie â—eâ—nus fuâ—gens decor multaque faeda câ—ategens â—erreâ—da â—â—aendissimoâ—â—e â—utis oâ—â—entu sâ—nsiâ—â—â— blandiâ—ns illudâ—â—s 〈◊〉 in â—pist ad 〈◊〉 and corrupt matter that lyeth hid under a faire outside as that faire Emperour of Rome once wrote to a friend of his so as that Gods word might well say that favour is deceitfull and beauty vaine Prov. 31.30 and is there no difference then between this vaine and Christs matchlesse fairenesse both inward and outward and is not that same fitter for your sublime spirits then that which is so low and vain 2. What is Meat which the base glutton preferres before Christ but a morsell of a dead bird or beast or some other livelesse creature too low an object for man who being the master-peece of earthly creatures and Lord of them all should infinitely preferre the Lord Christ who being most sublime and the very food of the soule is most fit for his unsâ—tiable appetite and for his aspiring Spirit 3. What is Wine which the drunkard preferreth before Christ but only the refined blood of the vine which springs up from the earth too low an object also for a man inspired with an immortall soule which he should rather inebriate and make drunke with the blood of that high and coelestiall vine which came down from heaven to satiate our thirsty soules on earth 4. What are Clothes but either the excrements of wormes or the haires and coats of beasts borrowed of them or rather taken from them by violence which caused * Erâ—sm l. 8. Apâ—pht once Demonax to checke a vaine man for being proud upon his purple clothes whispering these words into his eares Heus tu haec ante tegestabat ovis This a sheep did weare before you Compare then that which comes from beasts here below with Christ who comes from above and is a farre more fitter object for your immortall spirits which he is most willing to clothe with himselfe as with a * Rev. 3.17 garment more glorious then the sun that so you may scorne to set a higher prize upon so low and base an object as your cloathes are then upon Jesus Christ the Lord of glory and upon the garment of his salvation 5. And what is applause but a little vanishing breath and a passing sound which also is to low an object for that immortall breath which breatheth in your humane breasts and should be fed with no such corrupted aire exhaling from sinfull and corrupt men but with the incorruptible high and heavenly spirit of Christ and with his everlasting and bright shining glory 6. Againe what is wealth gold I meane and silver but a little shining clay and painted earth too low an object likewise for such lofty spirits as lodge in these your breasts who should rather pant after those high and heavenly and incorruptible treasures and riches that are in Christ Col. 2.3 in whom dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead which is the fountaine of all riches * Scilicet â—sâ—â—ntialiteâ— praesentialiter potentialiter Durand Ration div offis l. 6 f. 106 9. DiffereÌ„â—e bodily Col. 2.9 7. And lastly whereas in Christ are all desirables it may be truly said of all other earthly things which are so preferred before Christ that there is none of them all so absolute or contenting and satisfactory as that one might say now I have enough I desire no more Will you see instances Let a man empty all the spicy Islands of their fragrant spices and let him evacuate all the richest mines in America of their most precious minerals and let him find out the Philosophers stone if he may possibly be gotten and then let him turne all that he touches with it into beaten and shining gold and besides all this let him empty the Erythrean seas of their orient and brightest pearles nay let him ingrosse and get into his hands the whole materiall and most spacious world which the ancient Poets have called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is infinite by reason of his vastenesse and incredible bignesse in its * Quem ambitum quidam esse â—olunt â—ucarum gaâ—licurum novem millium amplius alâ—j autem habere Leucas decies mille ducentas Danaeus phys Christ tract 3. c. 23. circumference And yet I dare say that all this will not yea cannot satisfie the infinite and immeasurable appetite of his triangled and unsatisfiable heart For how can such a round globe as the world is fill a triangle and what saith the wisest King that ever swayed scepter upon earth He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver Eccles 9.5 Hence * Val. Max. l. 8. c. 15. Alexander that great Pellean Monarch having a world of kingdomes yet weeps and takes on and is discontented because he heard that there was but one world for him to conquer whereas his inlarged heart did wish that there had been many more 2. Let a man drinke in pleasures like a river and let him fill his belly with the most exquisite and delicious varieties of meat and drinke let him have the * Vnus Pelâ—eo juveni nonsuffiâ—it orbis Aestuat insaelix angusto limine mundi Juvenal fairest woman in the worlds circumference and let him please his eares with the most ravishing and enchanting musicall harmonies and yet I dare say he will not be pleased but find a vexation and wearinesse and and unsatisfiablenesse and emptines even in the affluence and fulnesse of all these earthly Paradises if you will * Captus est quis amoâ—e faeminae pâ—l chrae quomodo to quâ—tur antequam â—a fruitur cum fruitur post oest il libâ—diâ—is voluptas compescitur ubi ergo voluptus cum nec in iâ—itio nec sine posset reperiri Chrys in 1 Cor. 9. not beleeve me beleeve Solomon who for his part enjoyed as much pleasure as was possibly to be taken in the most dainty dishes or sweetest wines or beautifullest women or the most pleasing and melodious musicke as you may read Eccles 2. I said
shall bow themselves and the grinders thy teeth I mean shall cease and those that looke out at the windowes even those very eyes of thine shall be darkened when friends will be troublesome unto thee thy servants or those that shall keep thee will not be able to please thee when speaking will spend thee and silence grieve thee and thy wife and children those pieces of thy selfe in another kind weeping about thee will torment thee and when thy feet will begin to grow cold and thy face to waxe pale thy lips and mouth to retire thine eyes to pitch thy tongue to faile thy teeth to close thy breath to faint thy heart to beat and ake and when the memory the magazine of the soule as * Manchestâ—r al mondo one aptly termes it will recount all that thou hast done thought or spoken and Satan yea many devils and malignant spirits will in this thy last assault with combine forces surround thy bed and lay to thy charge what thou now slightest even thy most abhorred underprizing and undervaluing of the Lord Christ and thy wilfull neglect of a number of golden seasons and precious duties besides an infinite multitude of other most grievous and haynous abominations youthfull lusts and execrable pollutions extortions oathes cursings revilings and the like which will most bitterly aggravate the unexpressable * Nâ—m dolor est sâ—lutio continui Curâ—us de seâ—s l. 2. c. 4 So that the dissolution of soul and body most nearly compacted must needs be exceeding great paine of death who in the meane while will put thy whole dying body into a most grievous and coldest sweat as an infallible * P. Boaysiuan in suo thâ—aâ—ro mundi l. 3 p. 147. evidence that nature is now vanquishâ—d yea will be sure to batter chiefly thy once strongest castle the heart straightening and dâ—stressing it round on every side and burâ—ing the very strings of it to make the last fatall breath and to fetch out by force and maine strength thy poore and trembling soule and to deliver it if thou dye out of Christ which God forbid unto his fellow 〈…〉 death to be tormented for 〈…〉 ever For therefore it is 〈…〉 12 20. thou foole this night 〈…〉 be required of thee * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈…〉 require thy soule of thee 〈…〉 who they be thinke ye 〈…〉 death and the second one succeeding as it were and seconding the other 1 Seriously and therefore I beseech you 2 Freqâ—eÌ„tly think but seriously and frequently on this your last sicknesse and upon your latter end which is approaching and be not so blockish as formerly you have been For then as the little Bee which so soone as flowers spring goeth abroad vieweth the gay diapery and the variety of the sweetest flowers growing in the coloured fields fraights her thighes maketh a curious combe and so betimes hoards up honey in the pleasant summer against the cold sad and troublesome winter so you cannot chuse but take this golden opportunity which God in mercy offereth you causing the most sweetest rose of Sharon even Jesus Christ himselfe blessed for ever to spring as it were and to appeare Here before you I say you cannot but goe forth now forthwith use the means formerly shewed that you may sucke provide and get I will not say a little corruptible honey out of this my text which is Christs owne speech but Christ himselfe who is sweeter then honey though it be made never so pleasant with the most fragrant roses against that most heavy most grievous and sorrowfull winter of your latter end which is to come The Lord make you thinke upon it that you may not neglect or for-slow this most pleasant summer day of your most gracious visitation in the which the Lord Christ doth so blessedly appeare unto you in his blessed word and proffers himselfe unto you so lovingly and pleasantly like a rose full fresh and faire in the field SECT 14. Of Basenesse the third Let. 3. AS some base people will not gather roses to bestrow their cloathes and roomes with the same 3 Let. Basenesse though they smell most odiously and abominably because they can endure any sent and make no reckoning of it being used to it so carnall men and women are so base and sordid as that they will not get Christ because they are so accustomed to the filthy smell of sin as that they doe scarse perceive it themselves though a stranger to them who is not used to such an abominable sent doe smell it quickly and therefore I pray you be sensible of this basenesse and remaine it by labouring to be sensible of those odious smels which your filthy hearts doe continually exhale and send forth as it is written that every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart by nature is onely evill continually Gen. 6.6 and that out of the heart proceed evill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesse blasphemies which defile a man Mat. 15.19 20. Doe ye not smell these abominations brethren I speake but to the guilty nay should ye not perceive them how can you chuse every body that knowes you cannot but take notice of you how basely you carry your selves and how strangely you be overswayed with fiercenesse and anger and with monstrous pride which doth even stinke before God and man and sometimes with filthy avarice and other times with that detestable sinne of drunkennesse and therefore seeing others note you can you not and should you not observe it in your selves being privy to your very hearts and most secret and reserved imaginations which others know not so well as you Well you know that â—f one doe stirre in a dunghill and put it abroad it will stink so much more then it did before so as that one must needs smell it and I doubt not but if you shall stirre but a little in this matter 1. â—ansacking your hearts and 2. ripping up your lives and sitting them exactly you shall smell more of your odious sinnes then ever you did and therefore search your selves and so labour to come to the sight and sense of all your abominations that you may get Christ to sweeten you as roses doe sweeten our houses And here looke back a little I pray you to the second branch of the second generall use tending to conviction For I confesse that there is such a neare affinity between this let and that use as that one may be said to embrace to re-imbrace the other and that both agree in one I meane in one end principally For as there I did labour to make men see that they are out of Christ by the ill savour of their abominable thoughts words and works to fit them for Christ and for the meanes to be used for the getting of Christ that they may see what need they have of Christ so here I strive againe to make men sensible if I can of that same
mindfulnesse of him but also by an extraordinary care to preserve and to enjoy the comfortable sense and feeling of his gracious presence in your blessed soules imitating his faire spouse in the Canticles who when he had him would not let him goe chap. 3.4 You will say unto me Quest how can we keep him if he will be gone I answer Answ as you conserve roses with sugar so you may keep him a long time with 1. Sugred and sweet thoughts of God and him and his word and saints c. abandoning other vain and worldly cogitations For then we make as it were our minds his * Salomoni ergo vel Christo lectulum facimus cum amundi solicitudiâ—iâ—bus omniâ—â—â—-cessamus dum in solo desiderio Christi â—â—benter pausamus eique ut nobiscum pausit cor ab omni terâ—â—na cupâ—ditate mundamus Greg. 〈◊〉 Cant. 3.7 bed whereon he is then pleased to rest Cant. 3.7 2. With sweet and gracious speeches and communications if you have a care to bridle your tongues and to refraine your lips from bitter words and unprofitable discourses and contrarily to sugar the conceptions of your minds with sweet and savory expressions tending to the glory of God and to the edification of others For with such communcication God is well pleased See Luke 24.15 3. With sweet and gracious works which are even able to attract him and to draw him towards you after he hath been in regard of his sense and feeling absent from you for so he saith to his faire Spouse I am come into my garden c. meaning the beleeving soule Cant. 5.1 after she had desired him to give her a gracious visit saying Let my beloved come into his garden and eate of his pleasant fruits that is let him please and delight himselfe with these precious graces and glorious works which himself hath wrought by his holy spirit as I noted formerly that this is the meaning of that excellent place Gregor in loc Psellus 〈◊〉 as both Gregory and Psellus in their annotations affirme SECT 19. Christ should be used much 2. BE willing also to make more use of Christ then ever you did yet seeing that now you understand how that he is most like unto a rose whose usefulnesse and medicinallnesse Petrus Andre Matthiolus a Physician so extolleth and setteth forth in his Commentaries on the 1. Book of Dioscorides the 112. Chapter as that I for my part must not thinke that I shall be able to magnifie them more then he did and therefore I le here set down his own words which formerly I have cited in the margin Certainly saith he roses are much to be magnified and to be had in high esteeme because they serve not onely for an ornament to beautifie our gardens and are most delightfull to the eye but also because they be used in the most excellent medicines whereby the life of man is succoured Thus he and therefore how may we extoll and magnifie say I the Lord Jesus Christ that most admirable Rose of Sharon which must needs be more then infinitely more medicinall being the Creator then all roses created Make use of him therefore as men make use of roses in such cases as these SECT 20. Christ is to be made use of in 25. Cases 1. 1 1 Case VVHen you be overcome with choler and anger or else finde your selves prone to it at any time for as * Rosa succus sanqâ—i nem biliosum expurâ—at Petr. Audr Matthiol l. 1. Dios c. 11â— roses do purge choler so * Nihil ita irae impelum câ—hibet sicut Jesus Bern. super Cant Serm. 15. Christ is able to purge out your anger and better too for himself is most meeke Matth. 11.29 and therefore as it is the nature of contraries to expell one another so Christ being most meeke must needs be able to expell your wrath even then when you are apt to be most angry if you make use of him aptly that is in such a sort and manner as is to be shewed hereafter 2. When you be apt and prone to hate any man 2 Case which is more then to be angry onely with another For as * Flos rosae sanguinem sistit Plin. Nat. Histor. l. 21. c. 19. Roses being physically and rightly used do stop a bloody fluxe so Christ is able to stop this bloody sin which runs paralell with the bloody crime of murder in the sight and Judgement of God as it is written 1 Iohn 3.15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer This sin I say Christ is able to stay 3 Case and to subdue being rightly made use of for he is all love being God as it is written 1 Iohn 4.16 God is love and therefore by the same rule of contraries he must needs be able to cast out hatred also which is contrary to love 3. When you be pestered with that * Invidentiâ— diabolicum vitium est Aug. de disc Christ tom 9 mihi p. 914 Est diaboli inventum Basil de Invidia mihi p. 173. diabolicall sin of Envie for as * William Langham in his garden of health p. 538. Roses preserve from rottennesse so Christ is able to keep you from that rotten sin also as we may call it because it * Prov. 14 30. causeth rottennesse that it may not * Nihil ita livoris â—ulnus sanat si 〈◊〉 nomen Iesu 〈◊〉 Serm. 1â— super Cant. reign for who ever did shew himself more opposite to that soul-wasting sinne then he in that he prayed that his very servants might be one with him and gave them the same glory which his heavenly father gave him Iohn 17.22 23. and therefore there is no doubt but if you make use of him as you ought he will free you more and more from that sinne which is so opposite to his own nature 4. When you are troubled with the most detestable sinne of Pride 4 Case being strongly tempted to be proud of your wealth or gifts and spirituall graces for as Roses are good against * Si membram per inflammationemintumucrie infundenda erit rosa tepida Celsut l. 8. c. 4. swellings so * Nihil ita superbie tumorem sedat sicut Jesus Bernard Christ the Rose of Sharon is usefull against that swelling sin being himself most humble Matth. 11.29 and therefore as contrary to pride is also able to expell it in any of his faithfull members that is or shall be infected with it 5. 5 Case When you feele the scorching heat of concupiscence and know not how to free yourselves of it then also go to Christ for help and make use of him For as Roses do coole and take away a Petr. Andr. Matthiol in Diosco l. 1. c. 112. inflammations so b Nihil i ta extinguit libidinis flam mam sicut Iesus Bernard Christ can quickly allay that flaming heat of originall concupiscence which doth so molest his own
beleeving members as they be partly flesh now and then as that it maketh them cry out with Paul who as c Apud Dionys Carthus in Loc. differing somewhat froÌ„ others who take it to have been pride as Erasm in Mil. Christ some hold means this same concupiscence by the prick in his flesh 2 Cor. 12.7 I say Christ can quickly take away such heat that it may not break out into a flaming fire of notorious and scandalous uncleannesse but rather shall die in the heart without being allowed or desired For he is most pure and therefore most opposite to such burning lusts which are most impure so as that they cannot consist or subsist together with him if he be made use of and taken as the onely Soveraign antidote against the same 6. 6 Case When the eyes of your mindes grow somewhat dim and you cannot or do not see so well as you were wont the foulenesse of sin and fairenesse of Christ and grace then also make use of Christ in that case For as d William Langh p. 539. Roses are good for the cleering and curing of the eyes of the body so Christ is able to cleere the eyes of the soul so as that you shall see farre cleerer and better then ever did e Lynscus tam certa acje luminuÌ„ usus est ut à Lelybaeo portu Carthaginensium classes egredientes intuaeretur Vnde Lyncei oculi Val Max◠〈◊〉 de Mirac Lynceus who with his Eagle-like eyes could see from the Lelybean Port the Carthaginian Fleet going forth out of their haven for living and being on earth you may behold with the illightened eyes of your mindes Christ himself in heaven which is more then f For Mathematicians by their computations finde 74703180 miles distance between the 〈◊〉 orbe onely and the earth as for the highest heaven that is transcendently higher again even so high as that it may be called the height it self or heights 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 11.8 infinitely farther even as Abraham saw him and his day by faith before ever he was born Ioh. 8.56 and with the same eyes of an illuminated minde you may see even the least sins and such as by others are scarce perceivable see Revel 3.18 I counsell thee to buy of me c. and anoint thine eyes with eye salve g Collyrium est propriae fragilitatis agnitio sâ—ique abjectio humiliatio Gagneus in Loc. that is with the knowledge of thine own frailtie and sinfulnesse that thou maist see that is mayest see how poore how wretched how naked how odious how sinfull a creatnre thou art therefore h Subandi eme ex me Idem ib. buy of me this eye salve for so much is to be understood as interpreters here have well noted it i Evagrius Eccles hist l. 4. c. 7. Evagrius writes of Zosimas and Chuzubites that they did at a time restore unto the wife of Arcesilaus the sight of her eyes even miraculously which narration of his whether it may be undoubtedly beleeved or not this I am certain of that Christ can make you see as well as ever you did if you make use of him because St. Iohn in this Canonicall Book of the sacred Scriptures which is infinitely to be preferred before Evagrius his Ecclesiasticall Story sets down these words which but now I cited as Christs own and therefore you may boldly go to him whensoever you cannot see well that you may be enabled by him to see both him and your own sinfulnesse more cleerely then you do 7. 7 Case When you can hardly keep in boasting and detracting or any other rotten stuffe that it may not breake out in your conferences and communications with others then also make use of Christ the Rose of Sharon For as Roses are by their nature * Galenus l. 7. simpl Medicament astringent and binding so Christ by his nature is binding also being cleane contrary to such boasting and reviling as you may guesse by his humilitie Matt. 11.29 and by his silence mentioned 1 Pet. 1.23 in these very words Who when he was reviled reviled not again c. So as that you may be sure that he can easily bridle your tongues and bind your vain-glorious and malicious humors unto which you may be subject by nature so as that they shall neither breake forth by the tongue nor be predominant in the heart if you do but make use of him as you ought and are to be shewed hereafter 8. 8 Case When you can hardly retain any thing that is good being oblivious and forgetfull go to Christ For as Roses are able to * Folia Rosae retentricem facultatem corroborant Matchiolus in Dioscâ— l. 1. c. 112. corroborate the retentive facultie for the good of the body so Christ can as easily strengthen the magazine of your souls your memories yea infinitely more easily for he can write his Law in your very hearts as he hath promised Ierem. 31.33 Wherefore make use of him 9. 9 Case When you begin to nauseate and to loath his word as the Children of Israel did loath even Manna which came down from heaven Iohn 6.32 for as Roses doe stop and cure the loathing of meat if we may beleeve * Plin Natural hest l. 21. c. 19. Plinte so Christ can quickly cure the nauseating of his word which is the epidemicall disease of our age yea thousand times better For he is Manna himself and the word it self and therefore if you can but take and taste him how sweet he is you will find such a sweet relish in him as that you cannot loath his word which is also most sweet by reason of him as meat and drink is sweet if sugar be in it by reason of the sugar which is in it Psal 19.10 Therefore take him 10. 10 Case When you are so obstructed and troubled with stoppages as that you cannot fetch your breath as you were wont that is do not cannot breath and pant so after God as the Hart breathes after the water brookes Psal 42.1 2. by reason of some obstruction within proceeding from any cause whatsoever then also make use of Christ who also can undo such stoppings in the soul as Roses can remove * Succus rosae obstructionibus c. mirificeopem praestat Matthiolus in Diosco l. 1. c. 112. obstructions in the body for else his deare Spouse would not have prayed him so as she did to draw her that she might run after him Can. 1.4 if he were not able to take away all shortnesse of breath and to enlarge the heart that one may * Cui aliquando stetit ante faciem salutaris nominis ignaviae tâ—rpor Bernard run which he cannot do whose breath is but short 11. 11 Case If you be pestered with hardnesse of heart so as that ye cannot mourn for sin or be sensible of sin c. go to Christ for help for as the Rose
you from that wrath and take away that heat as Roses do take away the heat of a hot disease For none else but he was ever able to pacifie the provoked wrath and fury of God It was the foolish pride of that Romane Emperour Caligula Caligulaes folly having made a bridge of grappled ships over a narrow arm of the Sea in imitation of Xerxes and triumphing at midnight with innumerables torches to boast that he had wrought two great miracles having made the sea dry land and the night day but our Emperour of heaven and earth even the Lord Jesus Christ did so indeed when he dried up the red Sea of his fathers wrath and changed our present night of ignorance sadnesse and future of torment into the eternall day-light of his grace and glory and there was none with him when he did it because none but he was able to do it nor will be ever See Esa 63.3 I have troden the wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with me that is none did * Nemo mihi patienti adsuit Cyryl in Loc. suffer with me when I suffered my fathers wrath wherefore as God said once to his people so say I unto you Enter into the rock * Altiâ—ri intellectu praecipitur omnibus ut ingrediantur in pâ—tram iâ— est confugium faciant ad Christum veraciter credendo in eum Haymo in Loc. that is in Christ who is the rock for feare of the Lord and for the glory of his Majestie when he is angry and there hide your selves making what use you can of Christ and labouring to be found in Christ and to have Christ ever in your mind till the indignation be over past Esa 2.10 and Chap. 26. vers 20. 22. 22 Case Moreover are you deprived of your dearest friends goodly children or loving parents or hath any of you been bereaved of a kinde yoke-fellow and do ye thereupon conclude that God is displeased with you then go to Christ in this your heavy and sad condition who is ready to be unto you in stead of a sonne a father or mother or brother or friend Matth. 12.50 and so consequently to exhilarate and to cheere you up as a Rose whose * Roses do rejoyce the blood Tho. Hill in his Art of gardening p. 88. propertie it is to be exhilarative 23. 23 Case Again though you do not feel the wrath of God in your souls yet if you be but comfortlesse and destitute of the sense and feeling of his love towards you rest not so but go with all speed to Christ who is both able and ready to comfort your sorrowfull souls as Roses are able to * William Langh p. 533. comfort the head and heart of a man when he is weake For so he saith Ioh. 14.18 I will not leave you comfortlesse I will come to you Mark I le come to you saith he Where as other Roses cannot come to us but we must go after them to shew how ready he is to come and to comfort us whensoever we are sad and comfortlesse wherefore I coÌ„clude with sweet St. * Tristatur aliquis nostrum veniat in cor Jesus Bern. Sâ—rm 15. super Cant. Bernard is any man sad Let Christs sweetest name Jesus I adde and this precious promise come into his heart and minde and so let him procure that peace and comfort which the world cannot give in and by Jesus Christ that sweet and most comfortable Rose of Sharon but this comfortablenesse of Christ I have likewise already enforced upon your affections as now I do reinforce it upon your wils and therefore I am here the more brief in my perswasion 24. 24 Case Are you sick and weake in body and like to die then ô then make use of Christ chiefly For then usually men make most use of their corruptible Roses or Rose-water Rose-vinegar Roses conserved and * For few cordials can want the help of Roses or Rose-water Will. Langh p. 535. cordials made of Roses and other ingredients when they be very ill and should ye not then above all other times make as much account of Christ that incorruptible Rose of Sharon yea infinitely more Forasmuch as he is then able to do good both to your souls and bodies whereas other Roses as I noted formerly are but good for the one and nothing for the other It is Christ and none but Christ that can heale all diseases as he is not onely man but also God all-powerfull Psal 103.3 It is Christ and none but Christ that can then strengthen us when naturall strength faileth as it is written Esa 40.29 He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength which all the cordials upon earth cannot do It is Christ and none but Christ that can then content your languishing souls and drooping spirits when neither meat nor drink will down with you as it is written Psal 23.4 5. Yea Though I walk thorow the valley of the shadow of death I will feare none ill for thou namely * Aug. in Loc. Christ art with me thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me Thou preparest a table or feast for my poore soul before me in the presence of mine enemies where by enemies we may understand death and Satan also among the rest who then are before us when we are dying Lastly it is Christ and none but Christ that can then keep us alive that we die not the everlasting death when neither money nor friends nor Physick nor Physicians can keep us from death For so he saith Ioh. 6.49.50 Your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse and are dead that could not keep them alive This is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die namely for ever And therefore as in ancient time sick and weak and dying Christians were * Ansèlm apud Rosium in conf Petriconiensi cap. 73. Georg. Cassander in append ad opusc Iohan. Roffens de siducia misericordia Dei. directed to make use of Christ at that time especially interposing the death of Christ betwixt them and Gods Judgement so do I advise and perswade you now to do the like saying as they were taught to say if the Lord will Judge you Lord we interpose the death of of our Lord Iesus Christ betwixt us and thy Iudgement no otherwise we contend with thee c. I must not proceed farther lest I should prevent my self in that which I must say by and by touching the form and manner of making use of Christ and therefore let that suffice which I have already spoken 25. 25 Case Finally my brethren if your faith be weake either then when you be weak and sick or at any other time then ô then be sure to go to Christ who being like a Rose is as able to corroborate your faith in the heart as Roses are able to * Rosarum
Si nihil voluntarie omittit c. Gabriel Biel in Can. Missae Lect. 8. mihi fol. 11. that your memories may be so illuminated as that you may be able to recount and to remember your sins I adde and to come to the true knowledge of your selves and of your estates For so in like manner you would be loath to forget or to neglect any thing in a weightie and important earthly businesse and you would be glad to be fully informed of everything that may concern you and we know by the word of God that a deceitfull negligence is that which God condemneth because it is voluntary Ier. 48.10 Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently and deceitfully For the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrew signifieth both Let me superadde but a necessary Corollary A Corollary and then I have done with this important matter of examination That it may appeare that you do not willingly omit any thing necessary but rather use all means to come to the knowledge of your sins see that you search yourselves so diligently as that ye neglect not seriously to passe in your search through all the ten Commandements being assisted by one good Writer or other as Mr. Dod Dr. Maior Mr. Scudder or some other on the Commandements For this kinde of examination is held also by * Perkins in his Cases of Conscience l. 1. c. 5. sect 2. judicious Casuists to be sufficient And the reason hereof is because the Law of God is so perfect as that next unto Gods own immediate discovery there can be no more required to bring a man to the knowledge of his own sinfull estate See Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect 2. Having searched as much as you were able 2 Self-lamentation then lament and bemoane your selves as much as you can for having so highly and hainously offended so good a God and high a Majestie Thus Peter remembring himself what he had done went out of the High Priests Hall and wept bitterly Luk. 22.61 62. And Epiphanius writes of the proud * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan physiol c. 12. Peacock that when having beheld himself as he goeth and admired his beautifull glorious feathers he reflects at last upon his blackish and ugly feet he cryeth out as loud as he can in the midst of all his bravery because they are not proportionally correspondent and answerable to the other parts of his faire body and therefore well may we cry out rather then brave it out when upon an exact survey and search made we see the monstrous deformitie of our souls by reason of sin which is that abominable thing and the cause why our lives are not answerable to that transcendent beautie which is in Christ and to that proportionable comelinesse which should be in every one of us so as that we should not stand so much upon any good parts that are in us seeing that our souls have such black feet that is such ugly motions and inclinations whereupon they go and break out even into words and actions which are to be lamented even with teares of blood 3 Self-accusation if it were possible 3. Having lamented your selves fall to self-Accusation and confesse your sins I le not say to * Quid mihi ergo est cum bominibusâ—uâ— audiant consessiones meas quasiâ—psi sanaturi sâ—â—t amnes languores meos Aug. confes l. 10. c. 3. A Case of CoÌ„â—cience man who is a sinner himself and cannot forgive or justifie you but to God who is able and faithfull also and just to forgive you and to cleanse you from all unrighteousnesse 1 Ioh. 1.9 You will say unto me how would you have us confesse our sins must we confesse them all to God in particular or will a generall confession serve I answer In some cases it will serve Sol. and in some it will not If you aske me in what cases it will suffice Quest I answer Answ If 1. we be prevented by time as the thiefe upon the crosse Luke 23.40 41 42 43. 2. * Perkins in his Cases of Conscience l. 1. c. 5. sect 2. When upon a diligent search we cannot finde out some yea many sins then we may warrantably confesse and say with David in generall Who knoweth the errors of his life cleanse me Lord from my secret sins Psal 19.19.12 But when will a generall confession not suffice A Case of Conscience I answer When we have time and may know and do know our maine sins For so saith Saint Iohn If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive them Marke here is both a promise and a condition the promise is remission the condition is confession and a confession of our sins note our now all the sins that we know and may know being main ones are ours so as that we may not say such are and such are not so as that we may chuse whether we will confesse them or no. Heare also the Judgement of holy * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost in Epist ad Hebr. c. 12. hom 31. Chrysostome in this case Let us not onely call our selves offenders but let us reckon up our sins and repeat every one of them in particular I do not say accuse thy self unto others but I counsell thee to follow the Prophet saying Reveale thy way unto the Lord c. which words of his I adde lest men should think that he would have us confesse our sinnes in speciall to a Priest as the Romanists do teach and compell the people so to do No No that good * In â—ffusione notatur integritas c. Non enim confitenda sunt solum verba facta commissiones omissionès sed etiam cogitationes immuÌ„dae morâ—sae affectiones inordinatae intentiones mixtae voluntates perversa judicia suspiciones temerariae Albert Mag. Epis Ratiep in paradyso animae c. 40. Father as well as divers others was rather against then for any such auricular confession I close up this Case in the words of another great Doctor on Lam. 2.19 Powre out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord in the powring out of the heart saith he Integritie and universalitie is to be noted that we are to powre out our whole hearts by confession For deeds are not onely to be confessed quoth he and words commissions and omissions but uncleane thoughts also and churlish affections and disordered intentions mixt wils perverse censures rash suspicions For else as * Origâ—n one saith well such thoughts will accuse us in the last day I adde if we do not now accuse ourselves confessing them that they may not leave some impressions in our souls as in waxe Let me superadde one Corollary A Corolary keep short reckoning therefore and humble your selves often by often confessing even * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Psal 50. hom 12. daily