not thinke that it can be gotten for gold or that siluer shall be weighed for the price thereof k Iob. 28.15 Helpes to true ioy But by these meanes First by a godly sorrow for sinne Mary Magdalene was fayne to stand behinde Christ weeping and to wash his feete with her teares before he had her Goe in peace l Luk. 7.38.50 Peters converts were pricked in their hearts before they could eate their meate with gladnes m Act. 2.37.46 The laylor trembled before he reioyced n Act. 16.26 They are the blessed ones which mourne that shal be comforted o Math. 5.4 Let not them thinke euer to come to this ioy who driue out of their owne hearts all consideration of their owne sinnes which they haue committed of Gods iudgements which they haue deserued of Gods iustice which is prouoked of Gods maiestie which is offended that their hearts may feele no smart their soules may be affected with no sorrow for their transgressions For if euer thou hast read the Psalmes of Dauid through thou hast found this to be true that they which sow in teares shall reape in ioy p Psal 30.6 Oh you hard-hearted and impenitent ones then who could neuer yet mourn for your sinnes heare what Saint Iames saith and be advised by him Be afflicted mourne and weepe let your laughter be turned into mourning and your vaine ioy into heauinesse q Iam. 4.9 that so mourning you may be comforted and as they who after they haue endured many a sore tempest by Sea come to Arabia where Myrrhe growes get it gather it and smell on it so you after your soules haue beene truely humbled within you may apprehend the righteousnesse of Christ and be spiritually rauished with the sweetnesse of it in such wise that you may both resolue and desire neuer to let it goe * 2. Helpe to get true ioy Secondly Get a good conscience for that as Salomon saith is a continuall feast r Pro. 15.15 Well spake an Ancient Å¿ Aug. ad Fr. in Erem Ser. 10. Ad spirituale gaudium hodierno die intendo c. to this purpose I intend brethren this day to inuite you to a feast of spirituall ioy which ioy neither the plentie of riches nor the glory of the world nor greatnesse of posteritie nor health of body procureth but onely puritie of conscience And no marvaile for if an euill conscience begets a timorous and trembling heart t Mala conscientia cor tabescens trepidans gignit Muscut in Psal 18 p. 182. then a good conscience must needes produce a ioyfull and merrie heart Now how to get a good conscience I direct else-where u Court of conscience pag. 50.51 c. * 3. Helpe to true ioy Lastly because worldlinesse is a great enemie to this ioy therefore take heed and beware of couetousnesse ¶ Luk. 12.15 Stop thy nostrills full of earth and the sweetest Odours cannot affect the smell So let a man heare the sweetest Doctrines of the Gospell euen of free iustification by Christ c. he can smell no sweetnesse in them he can feele no comfort by them if his heart be stuffed and inordinately affected with the things of this life As therefore thou wouldest reioyce in the assurance of Gods loue make not the world thy God to loue Vse 3 Lastly Doth the Church here giue an example to all her sonnes and daughters in resoluing that this sweetnesse shall in desiring that this sweetnesse may abide in her continually Then this should teach all those members of the Church who haue tasted of the ioy of Gods saluation to endeuour to keepe and maintaine the same The desires of a good Mother in good things especially seconded with care and industry must be the patterne of the Childrens endeuours If our Mother the Church hath desired and endeuoured in ALL ages to keepe this ioy then WEE members of her bodie in this age must be carefull not to come behinde her in such desires and endeuours With how holy a vehemency doth Paul enforce this vpon the Church her children both at Philippi and Thessalonica Reioyce in the Lord alway againe I say reioyce x Phil. 4.4 Reioyce euermore y 1 Thes 5.16 In this ioy as a man cannot be too excessiue z Pet. Mart. Eth. l. 1. p. 100 â—aec iocunditas â—itiosum exâ—essumpati non â—otest for the measure so he cannot be too long for the time Our Sauiour tells his Disciples that he would haue His ioy REMAINE in them a Ioh. 15.11 Say therefore of this thy ioy thou Christian soule as Iob of his innocencie I will not let it goe vntill death Now that thou mayest haue some directions in this case these Rules will be vsefull for thee How to keepe spirituall ioy 1. Rule First maintaine thy ioy in the Word let that be the very ioy and reioycing of thy heart Let neither the pleasures of the flesh nor the profits of the world nor the companie nor counsell of carnall friends make thee giue ouer thy private reading studie and meditation in that Let neither the foulnes nor coldnesse of the weather nor the length of the way nor the shortnes of the dayes coole thy forwardnesse or quayle thy diligence in the hearing of that I am perswaded that Dauid did so much reioyce in the favour of God because he did so much delight in the Word of GOD. So much he seemes to testifie in that 27. Psalme vers 4. I desire to dwell in the house of the Lord all my dayes that I may behold the beautie of the Lord As if these words were after a sort spoken of purpose to show that if wee continue our delight in Gods Temple wee shall continue our sight of Gods beautie shining vpon vs continually to refresh vs. In the Word wee shall meete with such sweete sentences such gracious promises as will strengthen our ioy as will rayse vs vp out of our heauie and disconsolate fits as will shew Christ vnto vs as will reveale the vnspeakeable goodnesse of God vnto vs. Experience in the Church of Christ proues that many a man and woman hath gone with a trembling spirit with a perplexed conscience because their ioyes were not as they were wont to be to the hearing of many a Sermon about the reading of many a Chapter in the Bible or of some other sweete passages in good Bookes and they haue met with that consolation that satisfaction that they would not for any thing haue missed off Let but thy delight then in the Word of God abate and I dare boldly tell thee thou shalt finde as much to doe to maintaine thy ioy in thy iustification as he to continue the refreshing of his brayne with sweete flowers that cares not to come into those Gardens where they grow or that hauing gathered them alreadie stops them in some corner farre from his nostrills Be sure therefore still
of God to the infecting of the children of men A good man can scarce in any corner auoyde the smell of their impious and vnrighteous fruits of their lies slaunders blasphemies ribaldries and other idle speeches but shall be compelled to sent them in euery place as strong as noysome as Brimstone to force sighes from his heart and teares from his eyes And how odiously their VNBELIEFE doth affect the KINGS smell their distrust in Gods providence their discontentednesse in prosperitie their impatience in adversitie senselesnesse of and vtter carelesnesse for the comforts of the Spirit doe euidently and woefully declare And yet these people forsooth esteeme themselues to be the Bride of Christ But to consider how they are deceiued it pitties my heart What know they not see they not that Christ his Bride is not while her husband sits at Table without her perfume to please him and affect the virgins that be her fellowes Now alas these vaine-boasters are as emptie of this perfume as the foolish Virgins lampes were of oyle They haue nothing but the oyntments of Harlots in their Boxes their soules I meane and about their bodies And dare they challenge Christ for their Spouse As though he will linke himselfe with such No no. Let them with Barnabas get to be full of faith i Act. 11.24 and with Dorcas to be full of good Workes k Act. 9.36 that God and man may smell the sauour of their Spikenard and then they may be beleeved when they affirme themselues to belong to Christ but while then they doe but flatter themselues and deceiue others Doct. 5 LAstly Obserue that Christians may sometimes lawfully speake of their owne faith and good workes The Church had Spikenard and here shee speakes of it and of the sweet smell it cast forth How oft doth Dauid speake of his faith and his good fruits in the Booke of the Psalmes sometimes reporting how he trusted in God l Psal 64. sometimes how he prayed vnto him m Psal 3.4.34.4 sometimes how he confessed his sinnes vnto him n Psal 32.5 sometimes how he loued him o Psal 116.1 sometimes how he delighted in the Saints p Psal 16.3 sometimes how he pittied his very enemies q Psal 35.14 sometimes he speakes of his vpright walking r Psal 18.23 sometimes of his holy talking Å¿ Psal 39.1 sometimes of his zeale for Gods glory t Ps 119.139 c. Thus also did Iob u Iob 29. c. 31. Ezekiah x Isa 38.3 Paul y 2 Tim. 4.7 and others of the Worthies ' whom the Scripture recordeth And good cause why Reason 1 For first God receiues much honour when wee speake of the graces which he bestoweth vpon vs. Hence it is that wee shall finde Dauid which reported so much of his owne graces euer and anon professing his resolution to sound forth the Lords prayses Reason 2 Secondly sometimes the wicked will rayse slaunders of the godly as though they were a great deale worse then they are and therefore to cleere themselues from those reproches and so to vindicate the Gospell from disgrace they may yea and they must make profession of their integritie and faith What was it which moued Paul to speake so of his honestie as he did Wee haue renounced the hidden things of dishonestie not walking in craftinesse nor handling the Word of God deceitfully 2 Cor. 4.2 But this that as it seemes in the former Chapter certaine false Apostles had slaundered him to be a vaine-glorious fellow Which imputation to free himselfe from he spake so of his owne sinceritie as he did Reason 3 Thirdly there are many occasions giuen vnto Christians to haue hard conceits of their brethren partly by reason of some infirmities they see in them partly by reason of some troubles that fall vpon them And therefore it is lawfull and sometimes needfull for them to speake of the good things that God hath wrought in them If you aske wherefore Paul speakes to Timothy of his keeping the faith and fighting a good fight a 2 Tim 4.7 b Polan Synt. Lib. 9. c. 8. Pag. 597. One answereth it because the present trouble which he was in by the meanes of Nero might occasion Timothy his Scholler and others which had beene his hearers to question the foundnesse of his faith and honestie which was so rewarded wiâ—h affliction and which faith of his was not like to procure such temporall deliuerances at the hands of God as formerly it had done So then partly that Beleeuers may honour their God partly free themselues from euill reproches cast vpon them by the wicked and partly prevent vncharitable conceits of themselues in their godly brethren they may lawfully speake of their owne Spikenard of that Faith and those good Workes which the Lord hath besweetned both their hearts and their lines withall Vse 1 The consideration of this giues me iust occasion 1. to finde fault with those Christians which will euer be talking of their infirmities that they haue no grace no faith no goodnesse at all in them And yet their consciences can tell them that such and such things the Lord hath inwardly ingrafted in them such and such fruits the Lord hath enabled them outwardly to bring forth in their liues They know that at such and such a Sermon the Lord so and so affected their hearts at such a time gaue them victory ouer such a temptation at such a time enabled them so and so to pray yea so and so answered their prayers to testifie the acceptablenes of the same At other times so and so accheered them with the assurance of his loue so and so enliued them in the performance of such and such duties yet because forsooth it is not alwayes alike with them and the Deuill tells them they are dissemblers they cry out I am an hypocrite a naughtie packe a wicked creature nothing but euill lodgeth in me no whit of goodnesse dwell in mee I haue no faith I haue no zeale I haue no soundnesse no honestie c. Is this to honour God with and for the good things he hath done for thee wrought in thee Nay rather is it not to dishonour him in that thou doest not take notice of his graces which he hath giuen thee This is enough to expose the Gospell to disgrace amongst the enemies of the truth This is enough to make Christians themselues thinke more hardly of thee then there is cause For when as thou art so peremptory in it that thou art an hypocrite a varlet a wretch What will the world say of thee and such as make profession with thee Even THIS See see what arrant hypocrites these Gospellers are their owne consciences accuse them their owne mouths condemne them there is neuer an one of them ALL good Thou art much too blame then whosoeuer thou art that art so readie to take part with the Deuill against thy selfe when yet the Lord in mercy hath
annoynted thy soule with the Spikenard of heaven when both thy faith and integritie of life haue sent forth their sweet sauour to God and to men Vse 2 Let me perswade thee to striue against this euill to take notice of and when God may haue any glory others any good by it make report of what the Lord hath done for thy soule Thou mayst lawfully doe it yea and if need require thou must doe it Yet with this caution avoyding pride as much as may be Not vaine-gloriously as Peter did when he sayd Master wee haue forsaken all and followed thee what therefore shall be giuen vs c Mat. 19.37 For this is a thing God would be displeased with and it is the propertie of worldlings and wicked ones so to speake viz. of that which indeed they haue not and doe not But first in humilitie as acknowledging all to come from God Secondly with a desire to vindicate the Gospell from disgrace when euill mouthes falsely doe reproch thee Thirdly with a desire to reioyce the hearts of thy godly brethren Fourthly to draw on others to a loue of that Word whereby God hath wrought such good in thee And lastly to cleere thine owne innocency when that is called into question After this manner and to these ends thou mayest make profession of thy graces and with the Church thy Mother here tell it abroad to others My Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof MYSTICALL MYRRHE The second generall part of the Text. NOW commending to GODS blessing what hath beene spoken touching the Commendation which the Bride giues her Spouse from HIS Greatnesse I proceed to the prayse of HIS goodnesse or sweetnesse in the next words Vers 12. A bundle of Myrrhe is my well beloued vnto me he shall lie or lodge all night betwixt my breasts IN which words we haue two things to consider 1. What this sweetnesse is for the subiect matter 2. What this sweetnesse worketh for the subsequent effect The thing it selfe is a bundle of Myrrhe in the former part of the verse A bundle of Myrrhe is my well-beloued vnto mee The following effect that it worketh is a resolution of the Church to keepe this sweetnesse in the clause of the Verse He shall lodge all night betwixt my breasts Let vs set vpon the first A bundle of Myrrhe is my well beloued vnto me These words would well admit of a subdiuision if it were needfull But an Interpretation will serue our turne well enough that therefore the kernell may appeare let vs breake the shell by giuing the sense That a R. Selo Author Interpretation who expounds the former Verse by the sinne of Israell in erecting and worshipping the golden calfe and by the displeasure that Iehovah conceiued at it doth expound these words by the Lords pacification or being pleased with Israell after this their sinne As imagining the congregation of Israell to speake thus Though I the Synagogue of the Israelites did cast forth a stinking smell to the Lord by my Idolatry in worshipping the Golden calfe yet NOW he is appeased with me become sweet and gracious vnto mee whereof a bundle of Myrrhe is a symbole and signe But this Exposition is too Iewish He that applyes the former Verse to the times of King Asa Brigâ—stm and to the Vow that the Tribes made in the 15. yeare of his Raigne doth apply these words to the times of Iehosaphat Asa's successor according to the storie written 2 Chron. 17.7.8.9 c. And by the bundle of Myrrhe he vnderstands the sweetnesse of knowledge which abounded in the dayes of Iehosaphat by the care which that good King had to send Priests and Levites with the booke of the Law through the Tribes of Iudah and Beniamin as though Salomon by the spirit of Prophesie should foreshew the Israelitish Church in Iehosaphats time to speake thus to the prayse of God In the dayes of Asa I made a vow vnto thee to serue thee and for such a King as HE was my Spikenard of Religion cast forth a smell vnto thee But now thou hast giuen me sweeter times more abundance of knowledge in bestowing vpon me so perfect so vpright so carefull a King as Iehosaphat is in so much that though I had sweete dayes before yet these that now I see doe as much in meanes excell the former as Myrrhe in sweetnes doth excell Spikenard This meaning doe I like of neither as confining the Text. Others therefore walking in a more spatious field apply it to the Church of euery age or to euery particular beleeuer And amongst them some say one thing some another * Soto Maior Some by the bundle of Myrrhe vnderstand the death and passion of Christ because Myrrhe as they say was vsed in Burialls * Genebr Others the immortalitie of the soule because Myrrhe is an Embleme of incorruption The first reason why by Myrrhe is meant iustification But I had rather vnderstand the benefit of Iustification And that first of all because at this Center the somewhat differing opinions of Interpreters doe meete For when as some expound it of the death of Christ doth not the Church smell the sweetnes of his Death by the benefit of Iustification When as b As Merc. and Piscator doe others doe meane a most excellent and sweet Odour which the Church doth draw from Christ by the nostrils of faith is not Iustification the ground of this smell yea the assurance of Iustification is this smell it selfe Reas 2 Besides I am sure Myrrhe doth symbolize and resemble Iustification very fitly Diâ—scorid li. 1. c. 67. First Myrrhe distilleth from a tree full of prickes much like the Egyptian thorne And whence comes our righteousnesse and justification but from that tree of Gods eternall planting Christ Iesus who was persecuted thorned and pierced for our sinnes Impetigines purgat idem ibid. Secondly Myrrhe is of soueraigne vertue to cleanse the Leprosie of the body so is Iustification to purge our Leprous and sinfull soules Horrores discutit c. id ib. Thirdly It is good against trembling and the shaking of the ague so is justification against a trembling heart and horror of conscience Wee see then what is meant by Myrrhe And Bundle here is as much as a ball of Myrrhe or a bunch of Myrrhe Mystically an Author of righteousnesse or Iustifier is my well-beloued that is Christ so stiled by a loue-title which the Church giueth him because that he setteth his loue strongly vpon her To me that is to me the Church militant * Paraphase I smell the sweetnesse of Iustification out of the bundle of his merits who is my most louing and well-beloued Spouse Our conclusions from hence are these three 1. That Christ alone is the Iustifier of the Church his loue being the cause and ground of it 2. That the Church alone is iustified by Christ 3. That onely beleevers doe smell the sweetnes of this benefit of
Can I say can this chuse but preserue in thee that spirituall ioy the Lord hath implanted in thy soule Giue heed therefore giue heed to these priviledges and againe and againe thinke vpon them So much for the second Rule Thirdly A Christian shall preserue his ioy 3. Helpe to preserue ioy by preseruing his faith Faith is the nostrill of the soule as I told you which sendeth this ioy to the heart from the apprehension of Christs righteousnesse looke therefore how that is enfeebled so will the ioy be extenuated They A Similie that would haue sweet smells haue free passage to the braine to refresh the animall spirits that be there must haue a care to preuent Vlcers from breeding in the nostrills by drying and strengthening the head that no superfluities which are the cause of such Vlcers flow out of the head into the nostrills So thou that wouldest haue the sweetnesse of this Myrrhe the ioy of iustification to haue passage by the nostrills of faith alwayes to thy soule Keepe thy heart with all diligence watch and obserue that that the excrements and superfluities of vnbeliefe doubtings distrust in Gods prouidence fleshly ease giuing way to the loue of earthly things like so many Vlcers may not breed in thy faith and breath our such an vnkinde and stinking Odour as may stop the passage of those comforts to thy soule with which once thou wert wont to be refreshed Fourthly Take heed of sinne against conscience 4. Helpe The getting of a good conscience is as hath beene shewed a meanes to come by ioy And the keeping of a good conscience is a meanes to conserue ioy How did Dauid eclipse his ioy and Peter his when as the one defiled himselfe by adulterie and murther and the other denyed his Lord and Master both against the light of their owne consciences And wherefore is it that some Christians who were once wont to reioyce in the sauing health of the God of Iacob come to be plunged into deepe fits of distresse our of which they cannot so soone and easily recouer themselues but because they are somewhat more bold with their consciences then it is fit on lawfull If thou wouldest walke then continually with the white garments of gladnesse vpon thy soule beware thou doe not wound thy soule by giuing way to any sinne but endeuour to keepe a cleere conscience before God and towardes men holding as the Apostle adviseth the mysterie of faith in a pure conscience o 1 Tim. 3.9 5. Helpe To conclude all In the last place because a worldly and carnall ioy is a great enemie to the spirituall and sith it is as impossible for a man to reioyce as worldlings doe in the world and the Lord as to serue two Masters p Aug de verb. Dom. Ser. 37. Sicut non potest homo duobus dominis seruire sic nemo in hoc seculo potest gaudere et in Domino therefore take heed of a carnall and worldly ioy * A caution Not that I would haue a Christian not take comfort in the outward blessings that God hath lent him For as he hath best right vnto them so he hath most cause to take some comfort in them And not to doe so Salomon calls a vanitie vnder the Sunne q Eccles 5 But not onely to reioyce in impietie against God in iniquitie against man as profane ones doe but also to reioyce in the outward good blessings of God excessiuely or carnally is that which I advise euery beleeuer to beware of If a man should mingle a bunch of Wormewood with a bundle of Myrrhe you cannot make me beleeue there will be so sweet a smell as the Myrrhe alone would yeeld Euen so he that admits any transitorie and worldly thing at any time as an equall Obiect of his ioy with this transcendent treasure of justification let him tell mee be he neuer so deare in the eyes of God whither he depriues not his soule for the present of that abundance of comfort which once the thought of his discharge by Christ did conuey vnto him When therefore thou art to solace thy selfe with the vse of the creatures let thy ioy know a measure least the vnmeasurablenesse of thy worldly ioy lessen the measure of thy spirituall ioy which this Bundle of Myrrhe the righteousnesse of CHRIST IESVS is the ground of These are the Rules by which thou mayest obtaine thy ioy in justification Thinke on them make vse of them And heauens-blessing make them beneficiall vnto thy soule AMEN LAVS DEO