neither from the East nor yet from the West but from God What the Apostle saith c Eph. 2.8 of salvation may bee said of all grace It is not of our selves lest any men should boast We have no more power of our selves to work grace in our selves then these inferiour bodies have power to give light when the light of the Sunne is absent Adams ability was lost by his fall now Sampsons locks are cut off and therefore we may bee carried whither our leader the divell will since wee suffered that Dalilah sinne to steale away our strength from us Adam per malum velle perdidit bonum posse by willing that which is evill hee lost his ability to performe that that is good and since him every mothers son may bee called as the wife of Phinehas named her child d 1 Sam 4.21 Ichabod for in him this glory departed from us GOD now worketh in us c Phil. 2.13 both the will and the deed Ipse aspirando nos praevenit ut velimus quod adjuvando subsequitur ne inaniter velimus saith S. Gregory f In Ezek. lib. 1. Hom. 9. Hee by his preventing grace makes us to will that which by his assisting grace he makes us to performe The sap and juice that is in the Rose-Tree proceeds from the root and the grace that is in the members of the Church whether it be gratia infusa effusa or diffusa in thought word or worke doth proceed from God the Fountaine of grace Non est gratia ullo modo nisi sit gratuita omni modo it is not grace except it bee given gratis So that the planting of the members in the Church and the watering them for their growth being planted proceeds not from themselves but from God for therein the Church resembles the Rose of the common Field Secondly the Rose of the Field is not inclosed to a few as the garden Rose is but lyes open to all so the Church is not inclosed in some narrow nooke or corner but is spread through the World and lyes open to receive all Before Christ Israel was Gods peculiar people the nation that hee had chosen to set his name there to them hee gave his word with them hee made his covenant and shewed them the presence of his god-head He dealt not so with other nations neither had g Psalme 147.20 the heathen the knowledge of his waies So that then Iacob was the man that prevayled with God and his posterity the onely Israel that saw him He suffered other nations to sit in darknes and in the shadow of death Then Israel was h Calv. Instit the Lords Son that was his darling others were strangers Israel was received into his care and protection others were left to their owne blindnes Israel was honoured with the presence of God others were excluded from coming nigh him in a word there was a generall darknes over all the Land of Aegypt among the Gentiles but in the Land of Goshen i Exod. 10. among the Israelites there was light But since Christ the mercy of God was no longer inclosed within the narrow confines of Iewry but the glorious light of the Gospell shined through the World Before Christ the Church was a garden inclosed k Sol. Song 4.12 a spring shut up a Fountaine sealed but now she is the Rose of the common Feild The Kingdome of heaven is likened unto a man l Mat. 13.24 which sowed good seed in his Field The Church is the Field the seed is the word and the Gospell shall be preached through the World m Mat 26.13 And to this purpose the Church is called Catholique Catholica id est per totum orbem diffusa saith Saint August n Epist 170. in Ps 56. because it is spread through the World And so the Epistles of S. Iames S. Peter S. Iohn and S. Iude are called Catholique because o Willsons Christ Dictionary are written not to a particuler person as to Timothy c. or to a particular Church as to the Romans c. but either to all the Iewes every where or to all the Christians in the World And to this purpose also the Apostle calls p Heb. 12.22 the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conventus vniversalis the generall assembly to shew the Universality of it The Apostle S. Peter affirmes g Acts 10.34 Of a truth that God is no resspecter of persons but in every nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him Though the Church bee but one yet it lyes open to all that will come unto it Vnus est Christus per quem omnis gens omnisque lingua fide confessione unita est saith Ignatius r Apud Amand Polan there is but one Christ and one Church by whom and in whom all nations and tongues are knit together Quid enim est Ecclesia aliud quam congregatio fidelium in unitate fidei advnita saith Oecolampadius ſ Annotat in Chrysit What else is the Church of God but the congregation of faithfull people spread through the World knit together in the vnity of faith the Church is spread every where through the World and admits any persons in the World into her bosome And therefore the Church is not to bee tyed to Rome or any one particuler place Rome may with no better reason be sayd to bee the Catholique Church then the head may bee sayd to be the whole body for if it bee a true Church yet it is but a part of the Church Catholique and not the whole And to say the Catholique Church of Rome is all one as if I should say the catholique Church of Canterbury or of London or a particular universall Church which how harsh it sounds the most simple may easily understand After this I beheld saith S. Iohn t Rev. 7.9 and loe a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindred and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lambe cloathed with white Robes and palmes in their hands The Church is collected out of all nations Accipit Ecclesia omni tempore volentes credere nemini prorsus occludit se huc festinanti sed liberum licitum est volentibus quolibet tempore nullo impediente ad lucem veritatis adduci saith S. Cyrill u In El. lib. 5 cap. 60. The Church receaveth all that will beleeve at all times shee is shut to none that come unto her but it is free and lawfull to all that will there is none to hinder them to come to the knowledge of the truth And therefore if thou hast no benefit by this Rose if thou art no member of the Church blame thy selfe for shee is not the inclosed Rose of the Garden but the Rose of the common Field Thirdly the Rose of the Field is for profit as well as pleasure and is healthfull in many medicines so
How much bloud I say must flow from this most tender Body when the number of his wounds was as r Ludolph de vita Christi some say five thousand foure hundred and ninety as others Å¿ Barrad To 4. lib. 7. cap. 6. five thousand foure hundred seventy and five or as others t Serm Messreth de Sanct. in die Parasceves five thousand foure hundred and sixty according to the verses Sexaginta Quadraginta superaddito millia quinque tot fuerat Christus pro nobis vulnera passus Or at the least say they that say least v Do. Gwiliams 7. Gold Candlesticks treat of the passion six hundred and sixty according to the number of a band of souldiers A 5th effusion of his bloud was in Coronatione when w Mat. 27.29 they crowned him with thornes perhaps there might be some Rose trees among them for putting him to the most exquisite torments it is likely they would use the most accurate and sharpest prickles Sixthly he shed his blood in clauorum fossione when his hands and feet were nailed to the Crosse Foderunt manus pedes meos saith the Psalmist x Psal 22.16 in his person they digged my hands and my feet It is recited and refuted by Sixtus Senens y in Biblioth Patrum lib. 8 pag. 625. as a Heresie of the Iewes that those words are not to be referred to our Saviour Christ and that hee was not nayled but tyed to the Crosse But the print of the nayles was so apparent that it z Iohn 20.25 27. was seene and felt by Thomas and if we may beleeve Socrates a lib. 1. cap. 7. the nayles he was nayled with were so bigge that Constantine made of them a bridle and an Helmet The seaventh and last effusion of his blood was in lateris apertione when his side b Iohn 19.34 was pierced with a Speare and forthwith came thereout water and blood so that the blood ran downe from his side which the Speare had pierced from his hands and feet which the nayles had bored from his head which the thornes had pricked from his whole body which his sorrow had melted the fists buffeted and the whips scourged Well therefore might the Spouse say c Sol. Song 5.10 her beloved was white and ruddy for hee was white with feare and red with bloud well might the Christian Poet d Hovedâ—nius say of him Cum cor sentit amoris gladium Cruor carnis rubricat pallium When loves dart did pierce his side His garments crimson red were dyed Well might that Evangelicall Prophet e Psa 63.1 2. say Who is this that commeth up from Edom with died garments from Bozrah Wherefore art thou red in thine apparell and thy garments like him that treadeth in the Wine-fat and well may our Princely Poet and Prophet Solomon call him the red Rose of Sharon In floribus duplex est gratia coloris odoris saith Isidore f Originum lib. 17. cap. 6. flowers have a double grace in their colour and in their smell And the Rose hath the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke quasi bene olens from the sweet smell it gives for it is sweet to a Proverbe and our Saviour Christ may truly be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he did resemble the Rose both in colour and smell As the rednes of the Rose represents his passion so the sweet smell of the Rose represents his sweet conversation upon Earth Lorinus hath observed g in Epist ad Pet. cap. 2. v. 3. a fourefold sweetnesse of this Rose First he is dulcis in cogitatione ad meditandum sweet in the thought for meditation his fruit saies the spouse h Sol. Song 2.3 is sweet unto my tast and the Prophet David saies i Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy wordes unto my tast yea sweeter then honey unto my mouth Secondly he is dulcis in aure ad audiendum sweet is the eare to heare him for k Sol. Song 2.14 sweet in his voyce and his countenance comely Thirdly he is dulcis in aspectu ad videndum he is sweet in the eye for to be seen for l Eccl. 11 27. the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun Fourthly he is dulcis in opere ad exequendum sweet in the worke to obey him for m Eccl. 23.27 there is nothing sweeter then to take heed unto the Commandements of the Lord. But his sweet conversation did chiefly appeare when hee went about doing good both in words and workes he preached the Gospell to the poore liberty to the captives he n Mat. 11.5 restored eyes to the blind eares to the deafe a tongue to the dumb limbes to the lame and life to the dead In all which respects wee may say of him with St. Bernard o In Cantic Cantic O bone Iesu qui suaviter cum Hominibus conversatus es dulciter cum illis locutus es O blessed Saviour which didst converse with men most lovingly and talke with them most sweetly herein shewing himselfe to be the sweet Rose of Sharon Thirdly Floris Viriditas in hyeme absconditur non amittitur the greennes of the Rose is hid for a time but not quite lost it lies dead in the winter but at the spring it sprouts up againe so our Saviour Christ was dead and hid for a time in the earth but after three daies he rose againe and appeared to his Disciples he lay dayes that he might be knowne to be dead and but three daies lest he should be thought to have been dead for ever Christs lying in his grave was like our falling p Dr. Andrewes Of the Resurrection Ser. 1. into a Bed in our Chamber where though we lie little better then dead to see too for the time Yet in the Morning wee awake and stand up or like the fall into a bed in our Garden where though the seed putrifie and come to nothing yet we looke to see it shoote forth againe in the Spring Which Spring q Tertullian is the very resurrection of the Yeare and Christs resurrection falleth out well with that time There was hopes of this tree r Iob. 14 7. though it were cut downe that it would sprout out againe for the sappe remained and he revived When the women came to seeke for Christ at the Sepulchre they found the stone s Luke 24.2 rolled away and that was the thing that they desired for they consulted together by the way t Mark 16 3. who shall roll away the stone for us But the body they found not and that was a stone to their hearts heavier then the stone on the Sepulchre Though they had so much courage as to be readie to die for Christ they had not so much faith as to beleeve him for he had told them before v Mat. 17.23 that the third day he would
rise againe If they had beleeved him and the stone had beene removed from their hearts as it was from the Sepulchre in stead of saying Sustulerunt Dominum w John 20 13. They have taken away the Lord they would have said resurrexit x Mat. 28.6 he is risen and indeed they contradict themselves in saying so for if he were their Lord how could he be taken away it was enough for Labans Idols to be stollen y Gen. 31.30 when Iesus appeared unto Mary she supposing him to be the Gardiner said z Iohn 20.15 Domine si tu or sir if thou have borne him from hence tell mee This Question was well asked Domine si sustulisti if you have taken him away for none could take him away but himselfe The Rose-tree though it be troden on and trampled on in the Winter yet by the heat of the Sunne by the heavenly influence without any other helpe it springs againe so though they sought to lay our Saviours honour in the dust and even trample on him yet by the power of his Divinity without other helpe he did Erigere caput lift up his head again Happily the Gardiner if it be a Garden Rose may remove some of the Earth for the Roses springing and an Angell descended a Mat. 28.2 and rolled away the stone for our Saviours rising Others did rise before Christ for Elijah b 1 Kings 17.22 raised the widowes dead sonne of Zarephath and Elisha being alive raised the Shunamites c 2 Kings 4 34 dead sonne and being dead his dead bones did raise d 2 Kings 13.21 a dead man These were great miracles which these great Prophets did but he that was anointed e Psal 45.7 with the oyle of gladnes above his fellowes did lift up his head among the rest Quantum lenta solent inter viburna cupressi f Virgil. as much as the loftiest Cedars overtop the lowest shrubs What they did it was in nomine fide ejus saith St. Cyprian g de resur Christ pag. 48. in his owne name and by his power but he as he layd downe his life of himselfe h Iohn 10.18 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 Lexic 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 humano floret adminiculo non seminatus ab aliquo non defossus sarculo non impinguatus fimo sic omnino sic virginis alwis 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 ſ Doctor Guilliam 7 Gold Candlest tract of the Incaru 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 for God w Gen. 2.7 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
enough to receive so worthy a person and yet behold the stateliest place for his entertainment is a stable If the King of Heaven will needs come into the earth the most princely chamber were fittest for him to be lodged in and yet behold he lies in a manger If King Solomon was so ravished with admiration when hee considered that GOD would reside at the Temple in Hierusalem which was so glorious that it was p 1 Kings 6.38 seaven yeares in building that hee cries out q 1 Kings 8.27 But will GOD indeed dwell on the earth behold the Heaven and the Heaven of heavens cannot contayne thee how much lesse the house that I have made how much more would he have admired had he come into this stable and found Christ this Lord of life lying in a manger Secondly in his life-time he was poorer then the beasts of the Field and the Birds of the Ayre for they have dens and nests to roost and to rest in but hee had not a place where to lay his head as himselfe testifies r Mat. 8.20 And as for his outward estate he was so poore that when tribute was demanded of him he had nothing to pay it but he sends Peter with an angle Å¿ Mat. 17.27 to catch a fish to bring him money to pay it therein shewing great t Iansâ—n cenc cap. 69. Majesty as well as poverty his poverty in that he had nothing wherewith to pay it and his Majesty in that being Lord of Sea as well as Land he commands a Fish to do it for him So that as the Apostle S. Paul sayes of himselfe u 2 Cor. 6.10 he was as having nothing and yet possessing all things so may I say of Christ he possessed nothing and yet he was Lord of all When Priene w Cicero Paradox 1. the City where Byas dwelt was taken by the enemies and the Citizens fled carying as much of their substance with them as they could when he was admonished by some to doe the like Ego quidem inquit facio nam omnia mea mecum porto I doe it said he already for I alwayes carry all my goods about me so lightly did he esteeme of those ludibria fortunae riches that he thought them not worth a carrying so Christ carryed all his goods about him so that when he died he needed no executors to prove his will for x John 19 23. the Souldiers parted his goods among them and hee had nothing for them to part but onely his garments Mat. 27.35 I have heard a story of Richard Nevile sometime Earle of Warwick how true it is I know not that when the people would have made him King hee refused that dignity saying that he had rather make Kings then be one but this I know he that y Psal 85.7 putteth downe one and setteth up another when the people would have made him King refused it Erat Rex qui timebat fieri Rex nec talis Rex qui ab hominibus fieret sed talis qui hominibus regnum daret saith Saint Augustine z In John Tract 23. He was a King that feared to bee made a King not such a King that should be made by men but such a King as should give a Kingdome to men A King hee was indeed and acknowledged to bee so a Mat. 2.2 by the wise men at his birth Nathanel b John 1.44 and the whole multitude acknowledged him c Luke 19.38 to bee King in his Life at his death Pilate wrote him King of the Iewes d John 19 19.22 and would not alter that title and yet hee would not be made a King by the people lest e Calvin in Iohn 19. his spirituall Kingdome should have been at an end he refused to be made a King on earth for hee was already King of Heaven and earth Thirdly at his death he was so poore that he had neither Sepulchre nor winding sheet of his owne but f John 19.38.39 Ioseph and Nicodemus were faine to supply them Even the richest men and most puissant Monarchs have nothing at their deathes that they may properly call their owne but onely their Sepulchres We may say of them all as S. Austin g Ad fratr in Erâ—mo Ser. 48. speakes of Caesars Tombe Though hee were the feare of men and terror of Princes yet all his great riches his titles of Honour and Dignity his Crowne and Scepter Speare and Sword Omnia sibi pariter defecerunt quando defecit spiritus ejus reliquerunt eum captivatum in sepulchro trium brachiorum plenum faetore putredine All those things left him as they doe all men else when he was bereft of his soule and left him nothing but a Sepulchre of six cubits to conteyne him but Christ as he was without all earthly pompe in his life so at his death he had not so much as a Sepulchre or winding sheet of his owne untill they were given him In all which respects we may say of him with S. Augustine h De Catechiz rudibus Omnia bona terrena contempsit homo Christus ut nobis ea contemnenda monstraret The man Christ Iesus did contemne all earthly things to teach us also to doe the like It was a curse layd upon the Serpent in Paradise i Gen. 3.14 upon thy belly shalt thou goe and dust shalt thou eat all the dayes of thy life and therefore the seed of the woman k Ver. 15. being to break the head of the Serpent went not on his belly nor had his affections placed on the earth but was lifted sursum versus coelum upward toward Heaven therein resembling the Flower of the Lily of the Valleys Secondly folia liliorum non solum dilatantur ad latera sed etiam inferius declinant ad ima the Leaves of the Lily do not onely extend outward but bend downward so Christ extended his benefits farr off and even to his enemies The Apostle S. Paul tells the Gentiles l Eph. 2.13 that now in Christ Iesus yee who somtimes were farr off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ Christs benefits to us are like the oyntment m Psal 133.2 on Aarons head that ran downe on his beard and descended to the skirts of his garments they went downe to the lowest members of the Church When he was upon the earth hee shewed his love unto the poore in doing good to the Halt the Lame the Blind as it were so many cripples from severall Hospitalls Now love n Doctor Boys expo of the Creed is more shewed in deeds then in words but more in suffering then it is in doing so that the love of Christ was especially shewed unto us in dying for us As the Father shewed great love in giving his Sonne unto us so the son shewed like equall love in being so ready to suffer for us Greater o John 15 13. love hath no
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 hee 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 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 blackmouthed 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 honycomb 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 omniloco 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 savour unto Christ in every place For Plantae quae benè olent bonam famam nomen pollicentur r Hur Card Siniaes Somai li. 1. cap 30. those Flowers that smell sweetly doe signify a good name and report Odor bonus est nomen bonum hoc de bono opere tanquam de flore odor procedit saith Saint Bern. Å¿ 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 asperguntur 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 sprinckled 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 Danâ—us 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