precious seed Shall the good things committed unto us produce such bad effects like unto the wheat that is sowne Infoelix lolium steriles dominantur avenae which in a barren yeere doth degenerate into darnell Far bee it from us to requite the Lord in this manner If hee call and wee refuse If hee stretch out his hand and wee regard not then hee will laugh at our calamity and wee shall call upon him but hee will not heare wee shall seeke him early but shall not find him but if wee doe hearken to his Word and obey his voice then our prayers shall come up as a memoriall before God and bee as seed sowne not in the earth beneath but in heaven above and shall cause a rich and plentifull increase of all heavenly blessings to come downe upon us that our soules may bee filled with good things Yea then our workes of charity and all godly actions shall be as seed which we cast abroad and sow to the Spirit Gal. 6.8 that of the Spirit wee may reap life everlasting 2 Cor. 9.6 Hee that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and hee that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully Pro. 11.25 The liberall soule shall bee made fat and he that watereth shall be also watered himselfe Dare wee trust the earth with our seed and dare wee not trust our faithfull Creatour in these workes of charity The earth hath no power nor sufficiencie in it felfe but only from his benediction Shall wee doubt of his goodnesse and mercy who is most just and righteous in himselfe and who doth give this fidelity and ability unto the earth that it may make an abundant returne of that wherewith it is trusted Are wee of such little faith And doe we thus feare in dispencing these outward commodities these transitory benefits Then how shall wee bee able to commend our spirit into the hands of our Father With what courage and comfort shall we commit our bodies to the earth being the last seed we doe sow which shall bee raised in power and great glory excelling that of the pure Lillie more than that doth the royaltie of Solomon Awake and sing yee that dwell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbes and the earth shall cast out the dead Isa 26.19 11.1 In illo loco Messias expresse vocatur Flos consentit Hieronymus Causabon Job 38.27 The Flower of the stemme of Jesse did spring up in a garden and our graves shall bee turned into garden-plots As the raine causeth the bud of the tender herbe to spring up so the Lord is able to raise us up unto eternall joy and felicity Yea in this first resurrection hee doth raise us up from the death of sinne to the life of grace I will bee as the dew unto Israel Hos 14.5 even as the cloud of dew in the heare of harvest Isa 18.4 God makes the small drops of water they powre downe raine according to the vapour thereof which the clouds doe drop and distill upon man aboundantly Job 36.27 to satisfie the desolate and waste ground In like manner he doth sendus the showers of his grace he gives us the increase of all spirituall gifts he doth refresh us with his favour and satisfie our thirsty soules with his loving kindnesse Apollo's watering is to small effect unlesse God gives his blessing Deut. 11.10 Although the seed we sow may grow when we water it with our foot yet the seed of grace in our hearts can never prosper unlesse the Sonne of man who began that good work doth likewise perfect the same When the sweet and comfortable showers doe fall upon the earth they doe not onely cherish the flowers and herbs but also doe occasion many offensive weeds readily to grow up so the good gifts that come downe from the Father of lights the gracious blessings that descend from above doe bring forth the acceptable fruit of praise and obedidience in the godly but the cursed weeds of rebellion and provocation in the wicked The goodnesse of God which as a gentle shower mollifying the drie earth doth leade the humble soule to repentance but doth harden the impenitent heart which is fully set to doe evill and to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath The Word of God in season like the former and out of season like the latter raine is the true bread that comes downe from heaven and doth refresh him that is weary and ready to faint and doth satisfie him that is hungry that he shall never hunger any more but it causeth loathing in the full soule As the Israelites did not find any sweetnesse or good relish in the spirituall meat the food of Angels 1 Cor. 10.3 â—s 78.24 25. the corne of heaven that God rained downe upon them Our soule is dried away there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our eyes Num. 11.6 Here is Manna and Manna and nothing but Manna they called it light bread Num. 21.5 and as lightly they esteemed of it Thus the naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned hee cannot apprehend the lively power of the hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 he cannot discover the secret of the Lord which is revealed unto them that feare his name The tares that appeared in the field were suffered to grow unto the harvest Mat. 13.30 but the weeds that come up in the garden must bee taken away in the very beginning Our vices must be plucked up by the roots before they bee surely fixed by long continuance Abdolonymus hortum malas herbas eligens repurgabat Q. Curt. The Historian makes mention of a Gardiner who was found destroying of bad weeds when Alexander sent for him and advanced him to a kingdome So wee supplanting our corruptions and casting out the unfruitfull workes of darknesse shall attaine to a crowne of life As Adam was to dresse the Garden of Eden so wee are to keepe our soule and body blamelesse from the pollution of sinne and in the end when wee rest from our labour we shall enter into our Masters joy Christ saith to the good Theefe Luke 23.43 To day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Before God said to the rich man 12.20 This night thy soule shall bee required of thee There the night is mentioned death shall come suddenly upon him as an enemy as a theefe and finde him in greatest security in the dead sleep of sinne Hee delighted in workes of darknesse and shall bee cast into utter darknesse But here the day is named To day thou shalt bee with mee a day of salvation unto the good theefe the first day of his life and such a day as never had any end Christ is the true Light John 1.9 which lighteth every man comming into the world with
by our owne power but by faith in Christ Being thus feeble at the first wee must imitate the trees in growing who case not untill they obtaine perfect strength and be armed and fortified against the violent rage of the wind and hardened with the cover of the barke against all opposition and advanced by the height of the branches above the danger of enemies so wee should be strong in the Lord Ephes 6. and in the power of his might that we may be able to withstand in the evill day and having done all to stand Wee see how flexible a young tree or a branch is that wee can bend it and make it grow which way wee will so should wee be tractable and governed by the rule of the Word never resisting the good will of the Almighty God lest he punish us as hee did the Israelites which were his Vine that he brought out of Egypt intending to plant them in a fruitfull land but when they walked stubbornly before him and would not be ruled by him nor observe his statutes being a stiffe-necked people he then subdued them and led them which way hee pleased making them bend untill they did breake and fall in the wildernesse As for the tender branches which were lately sprung up being more humble and obedient he caused them to take deep root and fill the land In viewing the young trees that stand divers yeeres and require much labour and diligence in watering and supporting and preserving them before they bring forth fruit wee may call to remembrance the time of our childhood youth which were vanity when wee spake as children understood as children thought as children bringing forth no fruit or if any no better than wild grapes walking according to the course of this world having our conversation among the children of disobedience So that the Lord might justly have left us unto our selves Prov. 1.31 that wee should have eaten of the fruit of our owne way and been filled with our owne devices Let not us despise the riches of his goodnesse and long-suffering and forbearance which should bring us to repentance He hath permitted us to stand three yeers Luke 13. like the figge-tree in the Vineyard seeking fruit upon us and hath found none Hee in mercy addes a fourth yeere that we may in some measure recompence his cost and satisfie his expectation The time past of our life may suffice us to have walked in lasciviousnesse when we were foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures but now let us no longer live to the lusts of men but to the will of God and bring forth the fruit of the Spirit It is time to awake out of sleep the winter is past the raine is over and gone The branch of the figge-tree is tender and putteth forth greene figges the vines with the tender grape give a good smell the almond tree doth flourish the flowers appeare on the earth The spring of our youth is farre spent the summer of our perfect strength is at hand Verba sunt folia fructus quaeritur The green leaves of good words are not sufficient wee must blossome as the Rose in our good purposes Can we looke for fruit upon those trees in summer that have no blossomes upon them in the spring Can wee expect an increase of grace and holinesse in the ripe age of them who have not so much as the hopefull blossomes of godly resolutions and pious endeavours in their younger yeeres This is impossible with man but with God all things are possble Blossomes alone are not sufficient for such as proceed not beyond faire promises and laudable beginnings are like unto that Cherry-tree that hath double blossomes The Floripondio c. Purchas Statim à subeunte fructu pellitur flos atque aboletur Scal. in Theop. but never yeelds any fruit Or like some trees in America that beare flowers at all times but no fruit at any time Wee know the fruit increasing doth thrust off the blossome that did formerly inclose it so wee should not rest in short essaies or weake attempts but goe on to absolute performance A longitudine digitali dactyli appellati sunt Perot David saith The righteous man shall flourish like the Palme-tree whose fruit doth grow like fingers and are thereof named The workes of our hands the actions of our lives are of the fruit of righteousnesse that doth justifie our faith and is acceptable in the sight of God Thinke not to please the Lord with thy cold devotions in old age with thy sorry repentance in the latter end Hee requires the first fruits and doest thou thinke to be received when thy summer fruits are gathered thy daies are spent in vanity and thy service and obedience is no better than the grape-gleaning after the vintage two or three olive berries after the shaking or the figs so bad they could not bee eaten such may forsake their owne mercy while they beleeve lying vanities and expect a long continuance here upon earth It is true God promiseth his people that their daies shall be as the daies of a tree Isa 65.22 in regard of their strength and duration and when they rest from their labour they are transplanted into Paradise But let no impenitent sinner deceive himselfe and proceed in his wickednesse rather let him consider his frailty by observing that the young tree dyes as well as the old Poma si cruda sunt vi avelluntur c. Cicero de Sen. and as the ripe fruit falls off so the green is plucked off by force In like manner one dyeth in his old age Job 21.23 24.20 9.17 another in his full strength being wholly at ease and quiet his breasts are full of milke and his bones are moistened with marrow Wickednesse shall be broken as a tree even suddenly confounded and overthrowne as with a tempest like that flourishing Olive described by the * Qualem si quis aquis fertilis ubere terrae educat cùm subito immissis praeceps Aquilonia nimbis Venit hyems nigrâque evulsam tendit harenâ Val. Flac. lib. 6. Poet and may well be applyed unto himselfe whose untimely death prevented the consummation of his worke which was planted in a fertile soile and watered with much diligence and afterward was plucked up by the roots by a violent North-wind before it had yeelded any fruit Ingenium foelix immaturâ morte preventus Seal Poet. Even so many strong men who are accommodated with all things requisite for the preservation of their lives yet God doth weaken their strength in the way take them away in the midst of their daies Job 15.32 Vanity shall be the recompence of them that trust therein He shall be cut off before his time and his branch shall not be green He shall shake off his unripe grape as the Vine and shall cast off his flower as the Olive Wherefore be not mocked as if
land yet Gods messengers who doe carry these clusters into the heavenly Canaan shall for ever enjoy the felicity of that better Country If we take the Church to be the Vineyard as it is oft-times called then we must consider every true beleever to be a Vine unto which he may well be likened Ut ex eâ fluat quod nimium est Scal. in Theop. For as in graffing of the Vine it was usuall to let the stocke in regard of the aboundant moisture to bleed divers dayes before the Cyons was fastened thereunto so there is a time of mourning before the Lord doth put joy into the heart We doe first lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse before we receive the ingraffed word This is the weakest of all plants and must be sustained by the sides of the house Psal 128.3 Jamjam contingit summum radice flagellum Catul. Qualiter aequaevo sociatam palmite vitem Ultuus amat Stati as David speaketh or by some wall or frame or such like stay or else be joyned to some tree so we being feeble and infirme in our selves are supported by the favour and goodnesse of God Such as make flesh their arme or trust to any outward help 2 Kin. 7.17 doe as Joram did who leaned upon the hand of that man which was soone trodden downe That shore and strength upon which they rested may suddenly be taken away from them Si quid attigerit ultrò amabit quidem viriosius amplexabitur c. Tertul. The Vine being thus weake in it selfe doth by the tendrels or small strings seeke to catch hold upon any thing it doth touch and to grasp it fast Ut se erigat claviculis suis quasi manibus c. Cicero Adeo ramos string it ut crasse scere prohibeat Scal. that it may be sustained thereby Thus we being sensible of our owne frailty should apprehend the gracious promises and rich mercies of Almighty God and adhere unto Christ by a lively faith Gen. 32.26 Jacob would not let the Angel goe except he blest him so we by applying the merits of our Redeemer unto our soules doe receive a blessing from the Lord. When wee doe tie our selves unto our Creatour by the cords of love which is the bond of perfectnesse as a Sacrifice unto the Altar we shall be kept from falling and the Serpent shall not have power to fold himselfe about us who are so neerely united to our heavenly Father The Vine-tree is not fit for any use but onely to beare fruit shall wood be taken thereof to doe any work or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessell thereon Ezek. 15.3 An unfruitfull Christian is the most unprofitable creature that is a heavie burthen to the earth a cumbrance to the ground no better than the wild gourds in the pot a vexation to the righteous soule and a stumbling block to the wicked Other trees may beare fruit upon the young sprigs that did shoot out in the former yeere but this doth exceed them all bringing forth grapes upon the new branches in the same yeere in which they did proceed from the body of the Vine thereby teaching us even in the very beginning of our profession to become fruitfull and profitable in our conversation running the waies of Gods Commandements Psa 119.32.60 and without delay making haste to keep his Statutes How can they that have neglected so great salvation and deferred to returne unto the Lord expect that he should heare them when in affliction they seeke him early seeming fervent in prayer when they first begin to call upon his Name and cry unto him O God make speed to save us O Lord make haste to help us whereas they during their whole life it may be these forty yeers long have grieved the good Spirit and erred in their hearts putting the evill day of Gods judgement and the good day of true repentance far from them But there is fruit of a better rellish to be gathered from the Vine if that be prevented by the frost Gelatione cohibita in sequenti anno duplum dabit Scal. in Theop. and hindred from bearing one yeere in the following yeere it will recompence that losse by a twofold restitution If we have been as trees without fruit we must not still persist in impiety and live to the lusts of men but labour to redeem the time by abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord that as Ahimaaz over-ran Cushi 2 Sam. 18.23 who was sent before him so we may supply by our diligence and chearfull obedience what was wanting in time And as Saint Paul who was last called 2 Cor. 11.5 was not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles so we in spirituall endowments and glorious reward may bee made equall unto them who entred the worke before our selves Where the fruit of this tree is most esteemed In agro Aureliano vina excellentissima Nulla vinea vetula sed c. Ibid. they doe not suffer any old Vines to grow but replenish the ground with new whose fruit is most acceptable thereby teaching us to put off the old man and to be renewed in our mind putting on the new man Ephes 4.23 which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse The Lord satisfieth our mouth with good things Psal 103.5 so that our youth is renewed like the Eagles And the Lord satisfieth our soule with his mercy so that his graces are revived and repaired in us by the worke of the quickning Spirit John 2.8 He turned the water into wine at the marriage of Cana in Galile and hee sends the comfortable showers Initia vini esse aquea Ibid. that doe moisten and cherish the roots of the Vine causing them to produce their fruit in which there is a blessing Hee turneth our sorrow into joy Isa 65.8 our weeping into rejoycing John 16.20 He maketh the barren woman to be a joyfull mother of children and hee maketh the barren heart to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit Psal 113. and giveth wisedome and all heavenly blessings liberally above that which wee can aske or thinke Our lot is falne to us in a good ground we are planted in a fertile soile we receive the best gifts from the open hand of a bountifull Father Now as the Vine doth draw much vertue and nourishment out of the earth Necesse est eam multum quoque trahere Ibid. that it may produce abundance of goodly clusters and great plenty of large leaves and long branches so we should derive much strength and power from that fulnesse which is in Christ that wee may bee complete and furnished unto every good worke being fitted to performe any holy duty being prepared to suffer any triall or affliction which the Lord shall be pleased to impose upon us As upon the Vine there be great store of grapes joyned together in
one cluster so in the soule of a Christian there should be all kinds of graces accumulate and heaped together in stead of that masse of sin and lump of corruption which wee brought into this world Wee should be filled with all knowledge and all joy and peace in beleeving we should be full of goodnesse ready to communicate willing to distribute to the necessity of other men Which workes of charity and all other pious actions are like the fruit of the Vine for as wee have the comfortable use and benefit of that a long time after it hath been trodden in the wine-presse so likewise of Gods free grace wee doe receive the reward of the good things done in our body after our dissolution and doe then drinke the cup of salvation when wee enter into our Masters joy and are delivered from all weaknesse in the body and infirmity in the soule from all inward and outward frailties even as the grapes in the wine-presse are freed and cleared both from the huskes and kernels Such is our corruption and imperfection here in this world that our best performances are polluted by the contagion of sinne dwelling in our members and may in that regard bee likened to these grapes or or other fruits which have either something without to bee pared off and cast away or else some coare stone or kernell within to be rejected In our most devout exercises and godly endeavours there is either some defect and errour to be discerned by man who lookes to the outward appearance or though wee should bee blamelesse before man yet there is some inward rebellion and iniquity that is naked and manifest before the Lord who looketh to the heart When we are sensible of our former excesse and superfluity and are cast downe in acknowledgment of our transgressions wee should not thereby be deterred from continuance in well-doing but rather seek to amend that in which we have failed and gone out of the way that as such fruits are esteemed best in their kinds in which there is the least waste Mollusca quod caeteris nucibus mollior sit Macrob. either in the shell or any other part that is unprofitable so our performances may be most acceptable when they are not defiled by any grosse errour or presumptuous sinne The Lord Mat. 3.12 who is able to purge the wheat from the chaffe will approve of our good endeavours and godly desires being the fruit of the Spirit and will be pleased to pardon our swerving and deadnesse which proceed from the bitter root of a deceitfull heart In divers of our fruits there is some kernell that being sowne doth grow up in such a plant as may bring forth more fruit of the same kind in like manner the end of one good action should be the beginning of another we should labour to increase and multiply in heavenly graces and spirituall gifts and our reward shal be great in heaven For unto us it shall be given to eate of the Tree of life Revel 2.7 22.2 which is in the middest of the Paradise of God A tree that bears twelve manner of fruits and yeelds her fruit every moneth Such fruit as doth for ever exempt us from the dominion of death such fruit as doth open our eyes for we shall see God face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 such fruit as doth make us to be as gods wee shall bee like him 1 John 3.2 for wee shall see him as hee is such fruit as is good for food so very good Isa 49.10 that when we taste thereof wee shall never hunger any more John 6.34 nor thirst any more But as the Disciple said Lord evermore give us this bread so wee shall alwaies desire and for ever enjoy this food that endures in everlasting life Such fruit as is pleasant to the eye 1 Cor. 2.9 for since the beginning of the world the eye hath not seen the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Such fruit as is to be desired to make one wise even wise unto salvation without which all the wisdome of this world is foolishness and enmity against God But this wisedome is a Tree of life to them that lay hold upon her Pro. 3.18 4.9 a Crown of glory shall she deliver to them Did our first parents think that the fruit of the tree of Knowledge was to be desired Gen. 3.6 when it was forbidden And shall we by a stronger delusion beleeve that this fruit of the Tree of Life is to be neglected and avoided when wee are commanded to labour for it All the trees in the garden of Eden could not satisfie them but they would eate of the forbidden fruit though they became subject to the curse thereby The abundant variety of all the precious fruits brought forth by the Sunne should not please nor content us without this blessed fruit of the Tree of Life Adam was prevented that hee might not put forth his hand to take of that Tree lest having eaten unworthily hee deceived himselfe with a vaine hope of life when death should suddenly overtake him But wee have time and liberty granted unto us that we may stretch forth the hand of faith and receive this fruit whereof if wee eate wee shall not dye He might not gather it upon earth but we may receive it from heaven The Manna which was kept untill the holy Sabbath had no worme in it If wee now treasure up this good fruit against the Sabbath of Rest for our soules it shall never be taken away from us Hee that gathers little shall have no lacke But if in this day of salvation we gather great plenty thereof we may then confidently say Soule take thy rest for evermore thou hast much goods laid up for all eternity The Tree of Life is in the middest of the Paradise of God Oh that the fruit thereof were hidden in our inward parts that we could lay it up and keep it in our hearts wee would then esteem all the dignities and delights in the world to be of as short continuance Isa 28.4 Ita in manibus consenescit Plaut as the hasty fruit before the Summer which when hee that looketh upon it seeth it while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up And to be no better than that fruit which was stollen out of the Orchard Non erant formâ nec sapore illecebrosa that had neither forme to catch the eye nor rellish to allure the hand For which that blessed man in his repentance paid the dearest price that ever was paid for any fruit which was eaten by any of the sonnes of Adam We give fruit unto froward children that they may forsake that which is of more value Shall wee bee such children in understanding for the trifling vanities of this life to reject the durable riches of the heavenly Kingdome Shall wee for the three Apples of honour Atalanta sive Lucrum Bacon
the fashion of it perisheth Esay 28.4 The glorious beauty of Ephraim shal be a fading flower saith the Prophet Esay in another place he saith 40.6 that the goodlinesse of all flesh is as the flower that fadeth 1 Pet. 1.25 Purpureus veluti cum flos succisus aratro Languescit moriens Virg. Pubentesque rosae primos moriuntur ad Austros Statius Ut cum sole malo tristique rosaria pallent Usta Noto Idem Alioqui tu illos in vetustatem reservabas c. Quintil. And Saint Peter as it is probable alluding to that place confirmes the same truth that the glory of man is as the flower that falleth away All outward gifts and endowments are as flowers long in planting and cherishing and growing up but short in enjoying the sweetnesse of them Wee may as well resolve to keep our flowers continually fresh and beautifull as to expect any constant possession of the transitory benefits of this world Floribus tam diu gratis donec recentibus Sidon Wherefore let us use them as we doe our flowers which doe please us well while they be fresh but wee cast them away when wee have had the sweetnesse of them So long as these outward comforts are helpfull unto us and doe excite us to praise and thanksgiving we may safely use them but when they come to be livelesse and uneffectuall we should renounce them Such are the commodities of this life and such is our life it selfe it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time Jam 4.14 and then vanisheth away The longest life that ever any man lived was not so much as one day in Gods account 2 Pet. 3.8 How many doe wither away before they be growne up Qualem virgineo demessum pollice florem Cuineque fulgor adhuc nec dum sua forma recessit Virg. How many are gathered in the flower of their youth in the perfection of beauty and strength Even as soone as the Sunne is risen and shines upon them they fade away Or if we doe beare the heat of the day yet when the evening of old age is come like our flowers of Peru Una dies aperit conficit una dies wee then fall to the ground In regard of the brevity of our time wee may change that speech of Bildad Job 8.9 We are but of yesterday and know nothing Wee need not goe so farre as he did for we may say We are but of this day and know nothing and which is the greatest misery in this our ignorance we care not to know or consider the shortnesse of our lives We know not that Adam abode one day in the state of knowledge before he fell we know that we shall continue one day in this state of ignorance before wee returne to the dust The wicked cannot hope for length of dayes but rather to be snared suddenly in an evill time Eccles 9.12 when it falleth suddenly upon them The godly doe neither expect nor desire long life Heb. 11.38 the world is not worthy of such who are the Lords Jewels Mal. 3.17 Ostentatus raptusque simul solstitialis velut herba solet Auson which hee brings forth and shewes them to the people and then makes them up againe If our stay be so short it behoves us ever to bee prepared for our end and with Saint Paul to dye daily in our readinesse to be dissolved In this our latter giving our selves unto the Lord in commending our spirits into the hands of our Father God loveth a cheerefull giver we must not do it grudgingly Abeamque ex hac vita non ut ejectus sed ut emissus Lips or of necessitie but with a willing mind The Lord of the Vineyard as he hath power to send labourers into the worke at what houre he pleaseth so hee hath power to call them from their worke at what houre hee thinks good Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them To such to live is Christ and to dye is gaine Better is that Rose which is gathered in the bud Ecce defluxit rutili coma punica floris Dum loquor tellus tecta rubore micat Auson that an excellent water may be distilled from it than that which hangs longer and at last falls to the earth without any use or benefit Better is the short race of the faithfull man whose good name is as precious ointment that filleth the house with the sweet odour than the long residence of the ungodly who are not profitable either in life or death Having mentioned the Rose Roseus color a principe florum Scal. Exer. the Prince of flowers it will not be impertinent to extract the spirit thereof to trie what vertue wee may draw from the same When we behold the Rose growing upon a Brier wee may againe call to remembrance that curse denounced in the beginning Thornes and thistles shall the earth bring forth to thee Wee may thinke upon our sinne which did provoke the Lord to inflict that punishment And then from the colour of this flower wee may learne to take shame unto our selves Extremus roseo pudor errat in ore Val. Flac. Gen. 2.25 which is one of the attendants of sinne for in the estate of Innocencie Adam and Eve though naked yet were not ashamed Being thus cast downe in sense of our unworthinesse we must seeke for mercy through the merits of Christ who became subject unto the curse and was rent and wounded by the thornes that were fastened unto him Who in his resurrection was the Rose of Sharon full of grace and majesty bringing sweet consolation unto all that approach nigh unto him by faith Through his favour the malediction is turned into a blessing and we may receive much delight and comfort by the use of this excellent flower yet alwaies remembring that the way to Heaven is not strowne with Roses and Violets with delicacies and pleasures For although we have inward peace and joy wee must meet with many afflictions and suffer manifold tribulations before wee can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven They would pull a Rose without prickes who would embrace a godly life without opposition and enmity from the world As the Rose doth teach us modesty so the Violet humility which doth not lift up it selfe like the empty eares of corne or like the Bramble in the Parable Judg. 9. that other trees may come under the shadow of it but in all lowlinesse adheres to the earth that gives nourishment thereunto Job 37.18 Elihu saith God hath spread out the skie which is strong and as a molten looking-glasse In that glasse we may see the lively colour of the Violet and may observe that the right way to true honour is by humility Pro. 15.33 They that have learned to humble themselves shall in due time be exalted The former colour