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A49960
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Ecclesia Gemens, or, Two discourses on the mournful state of the Church, with a prospect of her dawning glory exhibited in a view of two Scriptures, representing her as a myrtle-grove in a deep bottom, and as a knot of lillies among thorns.
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Lee, Samuel, 1625-1691.
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1677
(1677)
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Wing L894; ESTC R2097
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33,479
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98
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eye with delight to spend contemplations upon it and 't is always green like that Godly Man whose Leaf never withers Ps 1.3 No cold Winter strips them of their Holy profession Hypocrites are Sunshine Professors Somer Birds Butterflies that come forth when the Church enjoys her May But Gods true Myrtles are green in January the Moneth of this blessed Vision The storm of Persecution may break their Boughs but not destroy their greenness they may stand in a deep Valley the Church may be driven into holes but still retains her native emerald greenness As the Dove may be forced into a cleft of the Rock but mourns and retains the voice of a Dove still Songs 2.14 3. The Myrtle is eminent for Fragrancy All is sweet and perfumed in a Myrtle The Berries Flowers Leaves all most fragrant The Rose its Leaves are bitter though the smell sweet but here all 's desireable and therefore by the Ancients dedicated unto Love Vitis Jaccho formosae veneri Myrtus c. Whatever the Church yields is eminent The thoughts and discourses of Saints are like the fine white Flowers of the Myrtle they are full of candour and breath holiness in every Air in every Region The Life of Saints smells fragrantly Songs 5.16 like Christ his Mouth is most sweet He is altogether all over lovely 4. 4. l. 1. c. 155. The Fruit of the Myrtle is Medicinal It is astrictive says Dioscorides and therefore good against spitting of Bloud and beneficial to the Stomach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Myrtle Wine is profitable against the bitings of the Spider Phalangium and the stings of Scorpions Gracious persons are of a healing nature to such as breath forth cruelty against the Church and whose Stomachs are full of poyson and malignant venom They are like the Trees of Paradise for the healing of the Nations wherein they dwell Rev. 22.2 A Child of God much more a Church of Christ should be like a Colledge of Physicians to a diseased World Truly what is this miserable forlorn World but a meer Hospital of crazy wounded and leprous persons Here lye some with limbs broken in Satans drudgery others raging under intollerable pains their very Nerves and Bones rotten through the Sins of youth others full of Boyls and putrifying Sores from lust and corruption and all poyson'd with the venom of Original Sin O let Saints carry about the Balm of Gilead to cure the wounded of the Daughter of their People 5. The Vision exhibits these Trees in a cluster It is a Myrtle Grove to shew Communion The Church is compared to a Flock of Sheep to a Flight of Doves to a Knot of Lillies to a Grove of Myrtles Saints love society so it be a society of Saints It was a custom of old among the Gentiles to dance in their Temples with Myrtle Crowns upon their Heads to signifie amity love Athen. Dipnos l. 15. p. 676. and delight in each other How much more excellent shall be the Communion of Saints when instead of the Thorns shall spring the Firr Trees and instead of the Briar or Nettle of the Heathen Is 55.13 shall arise the Myrtle for a Name to the Lord 60.13 an everlasting Sign to beautifie the Sanctuary of his Holiness which shall never be cut up 1. Learn Vs 1. That Myrtles may grow in Babylon nay in Groves in Church communion though in a low and secret Valley by the waters of Babilon till they are transplanted to Canaan Captive Myrtles shall be Crowns of Glory in the Temple above Saints may for a season be and thrive in a naughty world in a hostile Country and preserved from the foot of violence Saints may sing Psalms in Caesars Houshold and be chiefly saluted by an holy Apostle Phil. 4.22 The Lilly may be sheltred by Thorns and the myrtle environ'd by a sharp Babylonian Quickset Our Lord prays the Father not to take his Church out of the World Joh. 17.15 Acts 2.40 but to defend them from the evil of it and save them from the untoward generation wherein they live Were it not for his Myrtles in this Valley of Tears God would soon send up his Ax upon the Oaks of Bashan and lift up his Hammer upon Babylon They must propagate and increase for a season till the time that Babylon's ripe for vengeance and the second Solomon's Garden in Zion measur'd out into Beds Songs 6.2 made delectable with Walks 4.15 and watred with Streams from Lebanon and every way fitted by culture for the reception of sweet-scented Myrtles to be Plants of renown in the Glorious State of the Church which hastens towards us Ezek. 34.29 Vs 2 2. The Churches dark and low estate moves the Divine bowels to mercy Now comes a Prophet into the Valley and a Vision meets him for the Churches Joy in the 2d of Darius This great Prince strengthens the former Edict of Cyrus in despight of Samaritan hatred Ezr. 6.1 14. and so do the following Princes notwithstanding Tobiahs Alliance to the High-Priest Eliashib Neh. 13.4 It 's the God of Israel who melts and bends the hearts of Princes and makes them flexible towards his Church that the prostrate Vine may begin to climb up and be supported by the Elm of Magistracy He turns their hearts to hate his People for a season for their correction Ps 105.25 Ps 106.46 and then repents according to the multitude of his mercies and makes them to be pittied of all those that carried them captives He puts it into the hearts of the 10 Kings to fulfill his Will and to agree Rev. 17.17 and give their Kingdom to the Beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled and then he remembers his Holy Covenant 3. Vs 3 To encourage his People to go on with Temple-work Shall the heart of Darius be enlarged towards the dust and rubbish of Zion and and shall not Zachary prophecy and Zerubabel build Zech. 3.5 and Joshua minister with a fair Mitre upon his Head and all the People shout for joy crying Grace grace to the Glory of the 2d Temple which was far greater than the former Hag. 2.9 because the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts brought peace into it Vs 4 4. It 's good to abide in communion with the Church of God to be but a Berry a Flower a Leave of the Myrtle Tree is a great honour Let Saints keep close to this fragrant Garden God smells a savour of rest in such Assemblies Every Church is a Tree and all the Trees make Gods Myrtle Grove in the Earth For as they have their fragrancy so they enjoy whole Regiments of tutelary Angels for their defence yea Christ himself delights to be no where else and to be seen among them as a Captain getting up on his Red Horse against their Enemies They may come out with their Swords and Hatchets their Axes and Acts of Hostility but shall never be able to
here and glory hereafter what swim in a River of oil into the river of Paradise no no! Canaanites will be thorns in your sides till ye come to that Canaan above Deceive not your selves scandals at the Cross make formalists stumble into Apostacy A great Roman Emperor tryed his Courtiers and State Officers by Proclamation who would renounce Christianity to prove their constancy and such who for flattery or sear fled back from the truth he turned out of their places telling them that such who were false to their Saviour would never be true to their Emperor Our great Lord and King of the Church sometimes tries whether we will suffer thorns in our comforts rather then in our consciences Turning times are trying times 3. Pray for the dews of heavenly grace to fall like Orient Pearls upon your lillies No matter what briars among us so heavens influences showr down upon us What need we beso much concerned for a scratch if a Balsam drop from Heaven presently cure it Ps 94 19. If multitudes of thoughts ramble and tumble within us let divine comforts delight our souls a rare word in the Hebrew taken from the solaces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dancings dandlings singings of tender Mothers to their froward and sretful Children If thou canst find and feel God to be in Covenant with thee and taking thee in arms and cherishing thee on the knees of his affection like a Father what matter what the scullions in the Kitchin and wicked men the rods of his wrath the Hang-men and Executioners of Divine Judgments in the earth be they never so great speak and twit against thee thou knowest thy Fathers love is solid and permanent though by an affliction he chide for a fault yet his heart is with thee Joh. 14.3.17.24 he 'll never leave thee till he bring thee to himself and to the high inheritance Let all the Devils in Hell fling their ragged firebrands at thee make but a tush of it in the name of the Father of mercies they can't hurt thee Pray for the gentle Zephyrus the sweet breathings of Gods Spirit to flow down and invigorate your Beds of Spices Song 4.16 4. Care not what the World counts If God pronounce you to be his Lillies Labour to be more eminently what God styles you for what he loves you and for what the World hates you John 15.18 If the World hate you saies our Lord ye know that it hated me before it hated you If ye were of the World the World would love its own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the World hateth you In his heavenly prayer our Lord also addresseth thus to the Father John 17.14 I have given them thy word and the World hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world Disgrace from the world let it arm you from going back and let holy emulation edge you forward Love not the world nor the things of this world the childish fashion the apish attire the vain pomp and glistering gewgaws the tickling and soul-alienating pleasures of this transient and perishing life Be solid and serious persons let your affections be risen with Christ to the pleasures and treasures that are above Col. 3.1 5. Take heed of the thorns within more then them without While your soul tabernacles in flesh it dwells in a Thicket of thorns scarce sees Heaven but through Crannies Paul had this thorn 2 Cor. 12.7 a thorn given but it bore roses at last His sufferings incensed him to fight the good fight of faith the more couragiously O the piercing thorns of temptation that annoy the choicest Saints he mourns more intensely for the thorns at his heart then those at his feet He cuts down the former but they grow again Hinc ille lachrymae hence his continual spring of tears the others without him he tramples down valiantly Worldly cares fiery tryals dark desertions that touch his heart these exercise his saith and patience But O the fearful Bramble of Original lust a bramble like the Oakes in Bashan as big as the Waste of his soul Here he lays on with the ax of Repentance every day and makes the Chips to fly till death help him to fetch the killing stroke upon all his deadly enemies He sweats and pants till he gets the Victory 6. Be very solicitous to keep your selves from the thorns without To live holy and ward off wicked mens blows with all prudence consistent with confession of truth and the name of Christ Col. 4.5 walk in wisdom toward them that are without let your speech be alway with grace seasoned with Salt If your salt be unsavoury wherewith says our Lord shall it be seasoned A violent calcining fire takes away much of the grateful savour of salt Take heed of fiery tryals that are to try them that dwell upon the earth If ye draw back Heb. 10.38 my soul saith God shall have no pleasure in you a dreadful saying Hosea 8.8 to be like Israel's vessel wherein there 's no pleasure Hieronym in loc Immundum vas seu inutile c. quo ad projicienda stercora uti sobemus a vessel made for the requisites of nature to be fill'd with things unseemly let Saints study to be holy and useful and likewise to be careful and watchful against the tinctures and temptations of a prophane World A Saint must always carry about him a dove-like heart and sometimes use the nimble sparkling eye of the Serpent to guard his dove-like innocency Spina poena est thorns will be afflictive To live near them and not to be hurt is the fruit of divine grace and power but 't is usually connext with our use of holy wisdom towards them Persecutions are oftentimes chastisements for sin and preparations for glory Though a fruit of the fall yet they become medicinal to a Saint his troubles being his comforts Boysterous winds hurry a Ship to its haven Dangerous diseases often ferment the bloud into a purity for more prosperous health The poison of sin mingles the potion of repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evipera Andromachus's Treakle composed of a Viper cures its venome The flesh of a Scorpion applyed to the place affected healed Olearius of his pain and torment Olear Travels p. 195 A Saints inward bitings from Satan are cured by the Dragons bloud slain by the Spear of Christ VVendelin de nilo C. 16. G. §. 11. It s said that Crocodile's tears pierce the skull of man I am sure that a Saints penitent tears dissolve the head and all the inventions of Satan To end a gracious soul may gather the flowers of assurance from the sharp prickles of temptation and persecution He sucks much hony of the thorns that molest and afflict him 7. Associate with heavenly Lillies All the World besides are but thorns The common