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
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
can mollifie those parts that are hard as * CoÌ„serves of Roses mollifie those parts which are hard yea help break the stone Will. Langham in his garden of health p. 534. Cui sons forte siccatus lachrymarum invocato Jesu non fluxit uberior Bernard one writes of it so Christ can take away the very heart of stone as he hath promised being God Eze. 36.26 hence Bernard what hardnesse of heart was ever able to stand before Jesus 12. 12 Case When you are troubled with Melancholy and distrustfull thoughts go to Christ in that case also For as Roses have a facultie as a Thomas Hill in his Art of Gard. p. 88. they write to expell melancholy so hath b Cui in adversis diffidenti jam jamque deficienti si nomen adjuâ—orii sonuit defuit fortitudo Bernard Christ a most singular facultie to cast out and dispell all those pensive and perplexed conceits which do so torture many of his beleeving members For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. Iosh 1.5 which words of his being spoken home to the heart of a distrustfull person by his own spirit within in case you make use of him in such a time of need must needs be of such force and power as that light must even come out of darknesse as when he said let there be light Gen. 1.3 13. 13 Case When your hearts are not very stable go to Christ for stabilitie For as Roses if Plinie c Plin. Nat. hist lib. 25. may be credited confirme the tottering teeth in ones mouth so he is able to confirme and to make stable your hearts as the Apostle writes 2 Corinth 1.21 Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ c. is God marke in Christ who therefore is aptly resembled to a rock which firmly beares that edifice which is built on it d Aug retract l.c. 21. Matth. 16.10 14. 14 Case In a word when any sinfull motion or evill humour doth arise in your hearts then make haste to make use of Christ who is able to purge it out as Roses have a facultie to purge the heart so as that they suffer not any corruption to remain in it if we may give credit to that which e The Syrupe of Roses suffereth no corruption to remain in the heart Will. Langh p. 537. one writes of the same nay f Siquidem cum nominâ— Iesâ—m hominenâ— mihi propono mitem humilem corde benignum sobrium castum misericordem c. eundémque ipsum Deum omnip tentem qui me exemplo sance roboret adjutorio Vnde concludit quod nomeâ— I su totius indecoris fugat pruriginem Bernard Serm. 15 super Cant. much more For so saith the Apostle whom we may certainly beleeve Hebr. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God 15. 15 Case If you say what if one do yeeld or have given way to sin what shall he do then shall he go to Christ too I answer yes For whether will ye go else but to him who is able and ready to take away your sins and to cure your wounds after you have been bitten of sin and Satan even as the g Plin. Nat. hist l. 25. c. 2. root of a field rose is able to take away the venome out of the wound of a man that hath been bitten of a mad dog as Plinìe writes for therefore he compares himself both to a Rose in the field here and to the brazen Serpent in Israels camp which being looked on by those that were stung of fierie Serpents did heale and cure the same Ioh. 3.14 15 16. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wildernesse even so must the Son of man be lifted up who as b one notes by the way by reason of his everlasting Dietie I adde and by reason of the long-lasting vertue of his death to deliver us from death notwithstanding sin which ever cleaves unto us is most aptly set forth by a serpent of brasse which is the more durable mettall that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life unto this most excellent passage of which more is to be said hereafter we may annexe that in 1 Iohn 1.1 2. My little children these things write I unto you that ye sinne not And if any man sinne we have an Advocate with the father lesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also for the sins of the whole world where note by the way how Christ in such a case is compared to an Advocate so as that poore sinners who cannot plead for themselves may plead by him to escape the Iudgement of God denounced against sinners that they must die Ezech. 18.4 even as by the * Litigaturo liberum est ut vel ipse in persona propria compareat c. si ipse in judicio standi personam habeat Natura autem quidam impedâ—untur ut infantes quidaÌ„ loge ut soemiâ—ae quae per procuratores agere possâ—nt Doctor Vulteius Iuris Prud. l. 2. c. 30. civill law women children that cannot defend themselves are to plead their case by a Procurator or Advocate whereas others may plead themselves So that one may as much encourage you to go to Christ notwithstanding those sins into which through infirmitie you fall as * CavaÌ„za in suÌ„ma concil mihi p. 281. those 227. fathers which met in Trullo under the Emperour Iustinian to adde Canons unto the sixth generall Counsell of Constantinople which made none do * Liceaâ— omni Christiano monasterium ingredâ— c. in quocunque crimine deprehensus fuerit Saluaâ— tor enim noster Deus inquit Eum qui ad me venit non ejiciam for as Caxon 43. Conâ— 6. Const sic dicti animate and allow even criminall persons and notorious malefactors to enter into a Monastery yea more then they seeing the word of God it self as I shewed but now maketh for such an encouragement whereas they can bring no proofe sufficient They say indeed that Christ hath said him that comes to me I le in no wise cast out but they prove not that he who enters into a Cloyster having been a malefactor such as by the Law of God ought to die goes to Christ nay they cannot prove it For so any murderer or Sodomite to save his life may go into a Monastery and yet be farre enough from Christ wherefore I say one may more safely animate poore sinners that sin out of weaknesse to go to Christ himself rather then into a Cloyster which cannot save them as Christ can 16. If you say 16 Case what if our own hearts do even tremble and shake and condemn us as hypocrites shall we go to Christ and make use
hath not saith the Apostle 2 Corinth 8.12 * That is not according to that which is beyond his power Hence * Dionys Carthus in Leo what a man was not able to do yesterday let him doe it to day let him ever * Leo de conflicta vit virt mihi p. 113. as he receives grace from above resist his depraved custome let him say both mornings and evenings now I have begun This is the change of the hand of the most High 2. As other bodily Physick must be taken fasting 2 Rule so be emptie when you take Christ that is 1. if need be abstaine even from meat keeping a truly religious fast according to our Saviours speech Mark 9.29 2. Thinke not your selves to be able to doe any thing as of your selves No but rather that all your sufficiencie is of God 2 Corinth 3.5 they that will keep Roses saith * Rosas nondum patesactas servabis si in â—anna viridi fixa reducas c. Palladius one must keep them in a greene cane And yee know that Christ cals himself a Rose in my text and therefore upon that very ground I inferre so much that seeing he is a Rose if you will take and keep him you must be as greene hollow canes that is evermore emptie and voyd of self-conceitednesse for as much as himself hath said Without me you can do nothing Ioh. 15.5 * Ne quisquam putaret saltem parvum aliquem fructum posse à semetipso palmitem ferre cum dixisset bic fert fiuctum multum non ait quia sine me parum potestâ—s facere sednibil potâ—stis facere Aug. in Loc. 3. Rule Quest Solut. Not but little but just nothing I pray you confider of it and be perswaded then to goe even quite out of your selves and to unbottome your selves wholly casting away all self-confidence and self-relying that so you may be fit for the Lord Christ who filleth but the hungry with good things who is emptie and sends the rich that is the rich in conceit emptie away Luk. 1.53 3. As Patients will see what they take so see you and consider Christ by faith with Abraham who saw his day and rejoyced Ioh. 8.56 You will say unto me what great vertue can there be in this sight I answer very much For if they that did but look on the * Numb 21. brazen Serpent being stung of the fiery Serpents were healed what will not faiths look do upon Christ himself who is God himself * Quod autem aeneus est signifiâ—al quod ille secundum carnem mortuus suerit sed divinitus aeternus sit Beda in Num. 21. typified by the brasse of that erected Serpent in the wildernesse and so consequently most able to heale us instantly when by faith we do but look upon him and eye him as the Apostle would have us saying Heb. 12.12 Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us c. Looking unto Iesus Mark Looking to shew that there is a most singular vertue and energie in the sight of Christ by a true and lively faith to subdue sinne and therefore I beseech you looke up to Christ and elevate your mindes a little and doe not alwayes and onely pore upon your sins For that can doe you no good but Christ can Christ will and will not you look upon him O go go nay run as it is like they did that were stung of the fiery Serpents and behold him as lifted up I le not say in the wildernesse but in the * Heremus Ecclesiam significat Idemib Churches of Christ signified as venerable Bede hath well noted it by the wildernesse Let me adde because it contained the people of God for are not you pittifully stung too of Satan and a number of stinging sins like so many fiery Serpents and therefore why do ye look one upon another and why do ye cast your eyes so much upon your soares and wounds which your sins made in your bleeding consciences This is not the way to health No No you must look up to Christ and therefore I say again run Quest 1 Answ and make all the haste you can to eye Christ that you may be healed of Christ inwardly as they that beheld the brazen Serpent were cured outwardly 2 Answ You will say unto me how would you have us to look upon Christ 1. I answer with the Apostle Heb. 12.3 consider him that endured such contradictions of sinners against himself and so * Consideratio enim est inspectio Langius eye him believing it to be so indeed that you may be moved by his * The like may be said of his humilitie chastitie sobrietie meeknesse mercifulnes benignitie sanctitie that a due and and serious consideration thereof may must move us to a carefull imitation of the same See Bern. Serm. 15. super Caâ— example patiently to endure the like Againe 2. consider all his other bitter pangs and passions but especially the stupendious effusion of his most precious blood and beleeve verily that he shed it and suffered so much as he did for the good of his to save them from their sins and from his fathers wrath and to give them everlasting life Ioh. 10.15.28 Ioh. 6.33 Matth. 1.21 1 Ioh. 1.7 Hebr. 9.12.14 Ephes 2.13.16 Coloss 2.14 4. But rest not here when you have seen Christ by faith assenting to the word of truth concerning him 4 Rule you must go farther yet and apply or take him inwardly as men take Roses conserved or distilled into their bodies beleeving verily that Christ not onely died for his people in generall but also for every one of you in speciall to free you from his fathers wrath and from sins tyranny and to intitle you to everlasting life In a word that he will do for you in all the 25. Cases formerly propounded as much as may be safely desired and expected Thus 1. 1 Ground the Saints of God did ever apply him in their severall times and exigencies as you may see Iob 19.25 Esa 9.6 Ier. 23.6 * Christus enim est bonus ille pastâ—r Aug. in Loc. Psal 23.1 Luk. 1.47 Ioh. 20.28 Gal. 2.20 1 Pet. 2.24 1 Ioh. 2.1 Revel 1.5.6 2. And thus the Lords Secretaries and pen-men of the holy Ghost perswade us to appropriate and to apply Christ to our poor languishing souls as you may see * Which words also are to be understood of Christ Idem in Loc. Psal 34.8 Zach. 9.9 Rom. 13.14 * Ephes 4.24 1 Ioh. 2.12 3. Yea thus Christ himself invites us to take and apply himself heare him speak himself if you will not beleeve me Come eate of my bread and drink of my wine saith he which I have mingled * Tremell in loc that is partake of those good things which my father would have me to communicate unto you Prov. 9.5 Againe * Est invitatio Christi