were servants he dyed to restore immortality to mortall men And indeed Christs whole life whether you consider his Doctrine or his doings was healthfull and medicinable to us if we obey his precepts or imitate his patterne This Text hath been hitherto as a fruitfull Field wherein I have gathered some corne I shall now bind some profit of it up in sheaves that you may the better carry it away with you First therefore here we may see Christs love to us with astonishment and admiration What the Iewes said concerning Lazarus k John 11.36 when Christ raysed him from dead behold how he loved him so may we say behold how he loved us how deare and pretious our life hath been in his eyes may appeare by the greatnes of the price which hee payd for it even his owne life Quam indebita miseratio quam grata dilectio c. regem gloriae crucifigi pro despicatissimo vermiculo l Div. Bern. O how undeserved is that mercy how free is that love that the King of glory should be crucifyed for despicable Wormes It was a great love m Cowper on Rom. 8. that Abraham shewed to Lot in hazarding his owne life n Gen. 14.14 and the lives of his family to rescue him out of the hands of Chedorlaomer but not comparable that love which our kinsman the Lord Iesus hath shewed unto us who hath given his life to deliver us out of the hand of our enemyes It was a wonderfull great love that God would make man like himselfe and all things for man greater love that he himselfe would be made man but greatest of all that he would dy for his salvation Secondly let us consider the odiousnes of sinne with hatred and detestation Thousands of Rams o Micah 67. nor ten thousands of Rivers of Oyle could not make satisfaction for sinne neither could the fruit of our body make satisfaction for the sinne of our soule but the Son of God must needs dy for the sins of man If sinne cost Christ so deare doubtles it will cost us dearer except we repent Memoria ergo crucifixi in nobis crucifigat omne peccatum p Div. Bern. is an excellent counsaile and worthy our practice therefore let the remembrance of Christ crucified cause us to crucify all sin in us he stretched out his hands on the Crosse to embrace us and let not us stretch out our hands to wickednes to disgrace him he was crucifyed for us let not us crucify him againe by our sins but crucify our sins that caused him to be crucified Thirdly Christ is a patterne for our imitation and that in three things First we must imitate him in the sweetnes of our action especially in dong good Secondly in our resurrection which is twofold the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one is a resurrection of the dead the other is a resurrection from the dead We must rise from the death of sinne to the life of grace if wee meane to rise from the death of the grave unto the life of glory But we must not rise as the Rose-tree doth at the spring to dy againe the next winter but with Christ he being raysed from the dead q Rom. 6 9. dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him and we must so rise from the death of sin that we never commit the same sins againe Thirdly as Christ was conceived and borne for us so must we conceive and beare him in our hearts There is a threefold nativity of Christ Divine from his Father fleshly from his Mother and spirituall in the mind Ex patre nascitur semper de matre natus est semel in mente nascitur saepe saith Innocentius r Ser. 3. apud Barrad He is borne of his father alwayes he was borne of his Mother once and is borne in the mind often and we must endevour to keepe him there alwayes Forthly here is also matter of consolation and that in a double respect first as Christ is the Rose of the common Field and lyes open to all he refuseth none but those that refuse him Secondly because he is the Physitian of our Soules that is able to cure them hiding allour sins and healing all our Sores giving us spirituall health here and eternall health and happines hereafter Lastly as Elisha said to his servant concerning the good Shunamite ſ 2 Kings 4.13 She hath been carefull for us with all this care what is to be done for her so may I say to you concerning our Saviour he hath been thus carefull for us what shall we doe againe for him As he dranke to us in the cup of salvation so let us pledge him in the cup of thanksgiving as he gave himselfe a propitiatory sacrifice for us so let us give up our selves a gratulatory sacrifice of prayse and thankesgiving to him And let us fall downe with the t Revel 19 4. foure and twenty elders and the fowre beasts praysing GOD with our Church and saying Glory be to God on high and in earth peace good will toward men We prayse thee wee blesse thee we worship thee we glorify thee we give thankes unto thee O Lord God heavenly King for all thy blessings bestowed upon us for that thou hast sent thy Sonne Iesus Christ not only to live among men but to dy for men Grant O Lord that we may all be partakers of all the benefits of his passion And that for the same Iesus Christ his sake who as he died for sin so he ever lives to make intercession for sinnes To whom with thee and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glory now and for ever Amen To the Right Honorable FERDINAND O Lord HASTINGS my very good Lord. WHAT Thucidides affirmes experience proves true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hearing is not lyable to any account but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever a man speakes but especially writes it layes him open to others censure unto which I have now exposed my selfe and crave your Lordships protection Your Honour must not expect any high straynes in this Sermon Haud facile emergunt quorum virtutibus obstat Res angusta domi As it is I desire your Lordships acceptance of it as an expression of some part of that duty and service I owe your Honor. The God of mercie poure downe his mercies on your Lordship your Honourable Lady and hopefull children Which shall alwaies be the praier of Your Lordships in all duty and service WILLIAM PARKS THE ROSE AND LILY. SOLOMONS SONG 2.1 I am the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the vallyes WHat the Queene of Shebah told Solomon that a 1 Kings 10.6 7. though it were a true report which shee had heard of him yet the one halfe was not told her so may I say unto you concerning this Text though it bee a true report you have heard of him that is greater
the things of this World are dumbe they know not the language of the lyar m Eph. 4.25 but their tongues are tipt with truth They are ignorant of the language of the black mouthed swearer but his communication n Mat 5.37 is yea yea and nay nay in a word hee knowes not the language of Babel but speakes the language of Canaan Now there is the sweetnes of Honey in godly discourses but the bitternes of Gall and Worm-wood in wicked words and although wicked men may happily thinke that they find sweetnes in them yet they are like the Bee though they bee Honey in the mouth yet they have a sting in the tayle They are like S. Iohns booke o Rev. 10.10 though in the mouth they bee sweet as Honey yet in the belly they are bitter for what Solomon said of a whorish woman p Prov. 5.4 so may I say of them though in the mouth it be sweet as an hony comb yet their end is bitter as Worm-wood Secondly the Church must also shew sweetnes in her works Ad praedicationem novae gratiae secuta est novitas vitae in his qui crediderunt qui conversationem suam inter gentes habentes bonam Christi erant bonus odor in om niloco saith S. Bernard q In Cantic Ser. 60. Newnes of life did follow the preaching of the new grace of the Gospell in them which did beleeve who having their conversation honest among the Gentiles were a sweet favour unto Christ in every place For Plantae quae benè olent bonam famam nomen pollicentur r Hier Card Sinines Somni li. 1. cap 30. those Flowers that smell sweetly do signify a good name and report Odor bonus est nomen bonum hoc de bono opere tanquam de flore odor procedit saith Saint Bern. ſ Vbi prius A sweet smell is a good report which proceedes from good workes even as sweetnes doth from the Flower The good works of the godly cast a sweet smell even to them that are without Bona quidem per se sunt aromata virtutum per se redolere videntur sed cumulatiore gratia flagrant cum de unctione spiritus suavitatis afperguntur odore t Gilleber in Cantic Ser. 33. The spices of vertues are good and smell sweet in themselves if in the heathen but they give the more fragrant smell when they are sprinkled with the odor of sweetnes by the anoynting of the spirit in the godly good works are an odour of a sweet smell unto men and a Sacrifice acceptable well pleasing unto God as the Apostle tells the Philippians u Phil. 4 18. concerning their charity The Prophet Hosea w Hos 14.7 speaking of the Church sayes it shall grow as the Vine the sent thereof shall bee as the Wine of Lebanon It is written x Daneus from Pliny lib. 14.7 of some Vines that in the time of their florishing they send forth so sweet a smell that not onely the Vine-yards themselves but the Countrey round about is refreshed with the sweet savour thereof so that if any Serpents bee neere they are driven away by the sweet smell of the Vines so the conversation of the godly is no lesse fragrant not only in themselves but also to all that are round about A good name is better then precious oyntment y Eccles 7.1 And the godly have their conversation so honest among the Gentiles z 1 Pet 2.12 that they may by their good workes which they behold glorify GOD in the day of visitation And their sweet conversation doth drive away Serpents whether we expound Serpents as S. Austin doth a In Psal 42. Serpentes vitia tua sunt The Serpents are thy sins then their works of light expell those workes of darknes or else as S. Bern. doth b De Pass Dom cap 45. Quid melius per Serpentes quam diabolicas suggestiones accipiamus What is better meant by Serpents then the suggestions of Satan which doe secretly creepe into the minds of men then if wee looke upon that brasen Serpent Christ Iesus which was lifted up upon the Crosse by the eye of a true and lively Faith working by love and sending forth the sweet savour of good works we shall bee c Ephe 6.16 able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked The smell of the Churches oyntments d Cant. 4.10 11. that is her graces is better then all spices and the smell of her garments is like the smell of Lebanon But when Isaac smelled the savour of Iacobs garments they were nor his owne for e Gen. 27.15 Rebeccah tooke goodly rayment of her elder Son Esau and put them on Iacob As hee was cloathed with the rayment of his elder brother which gave such a sweet smell so the Church is cloathed not with the garment of her owne righteousnes but shee puts on the glorious robe of her elder brother CHRIST IESVS by which she is made the sweet Rose of Sharon Thirdly as the Rose is dead in winter but shoots forth againe at the Spring so though the members of the Church ly a long time in the grave yet at the Spring of the resurrection they shal rise againe As long as the root is quick the branches will not die but flourish Christ is the root f Rev. 5.5 22.11 we are the branches g John 15.5 and our root did not rot in the ground but rose from the grave to certify us the branches of the resurrection As long as the head is above the water the body cannot bee drowned Christ is h 1 Cor. 11.3 Eph. 5.23 the head wee are i 1 Cor. 12.27 the body but Christ our head is risen from the dead and his members the Church shall assuredly rise from death to the Resurrection of life As Christ k Church Hom. of the Resurrection dyed not for himselfe no more did hee rise againe for himselfe but for us Quia tu Redemptor noster suscepit mortem ne mori timeremus ita ostendit resurrectionem ut nos resurgere posse confideremus for as our Redeemer dyed that wee should not be afrayd of death so he rose againe that we may bee sure of our Resurrection unto life GODS Covenant with his Church l Jerem. 31.33 I will be their GOD and they shall be my people m Pe kins on the Creed is an everlasting covenant to last for ever but if God should leave his people in the grave for ever how could they bee called the people of GOD for n Mat. 22.31 for GOD is not the GOD of the dead but of the living and therefore seeing Gods Covenant is everlasting to all the Faithfull must rise from the dead that God may alwayes bee said to bee their God and the godly be alwayes said to be his people It is an especiall part of Gods glory to shew forth his mercy on
was in nomine fide ejus saith St. Cyprian g de resur Christ pag. 483. in his owne name and by his power but he as he layd downe his life of himselfe h Iohn 1â— 18 so he had power to take it up of himselfe They rose to die againe but he rose to live for ever for herein the resemblance doth not hold betweene him and the Rose the Rose springeth and dyeth againe the next winter but Christ being raysed i Rom. 6.9 from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him They did not conquer death but death did at last conquer them but Christ rediit victor a mortuis inferni secum spolia trahens k Ruffinus in Hym. Apost inter oper Cypriani did rise as a conquerour from the dead carrying with him Trophyes of his triumph over death and Hell And it was he onely Qui virtute propria ut victor prodiit de sepultura saith S. Bernard l De Resurrec Christi that by his owne power could rise as conquerour out of the Sepulchre Though they laid him in the earth they could not keepe him under the earth though they did Imponere Pelio Ossam m Virg. Georg. lib. 1. v. 181. lay a great stone upon the Sepulchre but at the Spring of the resurrection he rose againe herein shewing himselfe to be the springing Rose of Sharon and so I come to the limitation of this attribute Sharon I am the Rose of Sharon Sharon is the name n Ainsworth in locum of a place or playne which was very fruitfull wherein King Davids herds of Cattell o 1 Chron. 27.29 were fed And the Prophet speaking of the flourishing of Christs Kingdome saith p Isay 35.2 that the excellency of Carmel and Sharon shall be given unto it And in this sense it shewes that Christ takes no delight in them that are barren but in them that are fruitfull in good workes and also it shewes the fruitfull estate of the Church under Christ that it is no barren Doe but a fruitfull Hind and although before his coming shee was a barren Wildernesse yet by him she was as fruitfull as Sharon But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sharon in the originall signifies q Pagnin Leâ—iâ— a Field in generall as well as the Field Sharon in particular and therefore give me leave to follow the old Translation of this word which renders it I am the Rose of the Field for therein lyes hid three mysteries First he is the Rose of the Field not of the Garden Campus enim sine omni bumano floret adminiculo non seminatus ab aliquo non defossus sarculo non impinguatus fimo sic omnino sic virginis alvus floruit sic inviolata integra casta Mariae viscera tanquam pascua aeterni viroris florem protulere cujus pulchritudo non viderit corruptionem cujus gloria in perpetuum non marcescat saith S. Bernard r De Adventu Ser. 2. The Field flourisheth without mans industry it is neither sowed nor digged nor dunged by man but the Flowers grow in it by the providence of God so Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost without the help of man the virgins Wombe did flourish and her chaste bowels like a Field of eternall greennesse brought forth a Flower whose beauty never saw corruption and whose glory shal never wither The flowers of the Feild Å¿ Doctor Guilliams 7 Gold Candlest tract of the Incarn have onely a father in Heaven that is the Sunne by whose heat and vertue they grow and a mother in earth that is the ground from whence they spring so this Flower of the root of Iesse had onely a father in Heaven God and a mother in earth the virgin He was Deus de patre homo de matre de patris immortalitate de matris virginitate de patre sine matre de matre sine patre de patre sine tempore de matre sine semine saith Saint Augustine t De Tempore Ser 23. he was God of his father man of his mother of the immortality of his father of the virginity of his mother of his father without a mother of his mother without a father of his father without time of his mother without seed Anselmus hath observed v Lib 2. cap. 8. foure waies by which man may come into the world First by the help of man and woman the common way Secondly without the help both of man and woman as Adam Thirdly of a man without a woman as Eve Fourthly of a woman without a man as Christ God made the first Adam without the help of man w Gen. 2.7 for God formed him of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrills the breath of life so God made the second Adam without the help of man but the holy Ghost overshadowed the virgin and she conceived Ergo si tunc licuit hominem sine homine nasci cur non licuit hominem sine homine de Maria virgine procreari saith S. Austin x De Tempore Ser. 17. If man might then bee made without mans helpe why should not the man Christ Iesus be borne of a virgin without the help of man Divers have rendred divers reasons why it should be so first because as that woman was a virgin by whom sinne was spread among men as Irenaeus thinketh y Lib. 3. cap 33. that Eve was a virgin when shee gave her husband of the forbidden fruit so was it fit that she should be a virgin by whom a Saviour should be produced for man for it pleased God that the fall and rising fâ—om sinne the salve and the sore should be brought unto us the same z Ludolph de viâ—a Chri pan 1. cap. 5. way though not by the same meanes Ceciderat autem homo diabolo destinante serpente exequente dialogo interveniente muliere consentiente a Beda apud Ludolph When man fell the divell appoynted the Serpent obeyed the speech passed betweene the woman and the Serpent and shee consented Contrarily when man was restored Deo destinante Angelo exequente dialogo interveniente virgine consentiente God appoynted the Angell obeyed the speech concurred and the virgin consented Secondly Christs generation was a figure of our Regeneration and it was fit saith Saint August b De Sanctis Ser. 17. that Christ the head should be borne of a virgin to signify that his members the children of God must be borne of a virgin the Church so the Apostle tells the Corinthians c 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin unto Christ for Christs Church like his mother is both a mother and a mayd a mother being betrothed to him as she brings forth and brings up many children for him and a virgin as she remaynes spotles before him Thirdly being God
And as it is for the benefit of Gods children and tends to their salvation so it proceeds from the malice of the wicked and ends in their destruction Iniquitatis filii cum clarorum hominum virtutem repraehensionem quodammodo suae pravitatis existimant veluti immanes quaedam ferae crudeliter ruunt c. saith S. Cyrill m In Gen. lib. 10. The children of wrath when they see the vertues of good men reprove their vices they rage like wilde beasts for when by their works of light the works of darknes are reproved they cast the darts of envy and malice against them which doe oftentimes returne back on their owne pates The fire of martyrdome n S. Augustin which doth purify the godly doth damnify the wicked the one it doth enrich with eternall happines the other it shall consume to dust and ashes Ashur is said to bee the rod of Gods anger o Esay 10.5 and wicked men are but the rods of his wrath with which though he doth sometimes chastice his children and suffer them to bee persecuted yet at length hee will burne the rodds But some may object and say that in those dangerous times of the primitive Church the Church might properly be said to bee the red Rose of Sharon When a man might pay deare for Christ as Christ payd for him even his life it being then almost impossible to follow Christ without Martyrdome But now thanks bee to God there is no such danger no Christianus ad Leones let the Christians bee cast into the Lions den no pulling before Magistrates but every one may practise christianity as well as professe it without danger nay it is dangerous indeede to every one that doth not professe and practise it in our Kingdome and God continue it so long as the Sun and Moone endureth so that the Church may now seeme to bee free from the rednes and prickles of persecution To this answere is made p Chrys Theoph apud Cosma in 2 Tim. 3.12 that to suffer persecution is taken not onely for that which Gods children suffer from open enemies but for that griefe and sorrow which they suffer in their owne bowells Patiuntur hanc persecutionem non in corporibus sed in cordibus saith S. Austin q De Civitat dei li. 18. cap. 5. they suffer this persecution not outwardly in their bodyes but inwardly in their soules And there is a persecution of the tongue as well as a persecution of the hand The Scripture prompts me to it where it sayes r Gal 4.21 Ismael persecuted Isaac when hee Å¿ Gen. 21.9 mocked him So that there is disguised as well as open persecution t Wissons Christ Diction by word as well as by Sword by deceit as well as violence from false brethren as well as from professed enemies And this kind of persecution I cannot say that our Church is free from for that Schismaticall brood that whips it in their words and scourgeth it in their Pamphlets written against the government and governours of the Church what doe they else but as much as in them lyes v kill the Prophets u Mat 23.37 and stone them that are sent them And who so patiently beare w Doctor Boys exposit of the Gospell on S. Steph. day those wrongs and suffer those dilapidations in their credits what are they else but Stephens meere Martyrs And this kind of persecution must the Church never looke to bee free from Though shee may sometimes bee free from stripes and strokes yet shee is never free from mocks and scoffs though shee may bee free from deaths and imprisonments yet never from raylings and revilings though shee may bee free from murtherings yet not from murmurings and so never free from the pricks of secret persecution By this wee may partly see whether wee belong to the Church or no. Wee live in the latter dayes wherein many that should countenance Religion do contemne it being like unto the Negroes x Heylens Gâ—ogr that paint the Divell white and the Angels black because they themselves are so Dost thou then like the weather-cock turne thy selfe by their wind and conforme thy selfe to them for feare of losing a favour or getting a frowne thou art not a true member of the Church Againe we live in a scoffing age wherein true Christians are accounted by many as S. Paul was y 1 Cor. 4.13 the filth of the World and the off-scouring of all things Art thou ashamed to be religious because thou art affrayd to be scoft at Art thou affraid to be slaundered as the Lords Priests z 1 Sam. 22. were by malicious Doeg Art thou affraid to be rayled at as David was a 2 Sam. 16.7 by freviling Shimei Art thou affrayd to suffer affliction with the people of God How then wouldst thou bee contented to be stoned b Acts 7.59 with Steven to bee cast into the fiery Furnace c Dan. 3.23 with the three children or into the Lions Den with d Dan. 6.16 Daniel to have thy tongue cut out thy skin pulled of e 2 Maccab. 7. thy head and bee fryed in a Pan as the Mother and her seven sonnes doe those small skirmishes make thee afraid and thinkest thou thou couldest endure the heat of the battayle Questionles if those small blasts make thy soule to totter why then the storme of persecution will plucke thee up by the roots Wee stand betweene prosperity and adversity as Goliah did betweene the two troopes f 1 Sam. 17.10 and wish that wee had a man to fight withall But if the least storme arise the hearts of many fayle So that as Iosephs brethren sayd unto their Father Vide an filii tui tunica sit an non g Gen. see whether it bee thy sons coat or no so may I say to the Church concerning any of her members Vide an sit filii tui tunica an non if hee bee free from all manner of persecution and trouble it is a signe hee is a bastard and no Son but if his coat be dyed in bloud if he can shew the right colour it is a signe that hee doth belong to the red Rose of Sharon Secondly the sweetnes of the Rose represents the Churches sweet conversation upon earth and that both in words and works The sweetnes of the lips increaseth learning saith Solomon h Prov. 16.21 good words are sweet words the Church and the members thereof must speake them and not unsavoury speech We are strangers and pilgrims in this life for here i Heb. 13.14 we have no abiding place but we seeke one to come Now strangers and pilgrims are knowne by their tongues for he that k John 3.31 is of the earth speaketh of the earth Earth is at their hearts and their breathes smell of it But the children of light which are not so wise as the children of this generation l Luke 16.8 concerning