Bowels Opened, Sermon 18
THE EIGHTEENTH SERMON.SER. XVIII.
CANT. V. XVI.
His mouth is most sweet, yea he is altogether lovely, this is my Beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Hierusalem.
CANT. VI. I, II.
Whither is thy Beloved gone, O thou fairest among woemen, whither is thy Beloved turned aside that wee may seeke him with thee.
My Beloved is gone downe, &c.
BY this time the Church hath well quit her selfe in that safe subject, commending her beloved, first in generall, and then in particular; she affirmes (in effect) there was none like him in generall, which she after makes good in all the particulars of her description, now she summes up all with a kinde of superaboundant expression. What shall I say more of him? if that which is said be not enough, then know farther, he is altogether lovely, there were no end to goe through all his perfections, but looke on him wholly, he is altogether lovely, and therefore deserves my love, so that there is no cause why you should wonder at the strength of my affections and care to finde out this my Beloved and this my friend, O ye daughters of Hierusalem. Thus we see how the pitch of an inlightned soule is bent, it aspires to things suteable to its selfe, to Godwards▪ to union and communion with Christ, to supernaturall objects, nothing here below is worthy the name of its beloved. It fastens not on earthly base things, but this is my beloved, and this is my friend, this so excellent a person, this Iedidiah, this beloved sonne, this judge of all, Lord of all, this chiefe of ten thousand, here the Church pitches her affections which she conceales not as ashamed thereof, but in a kinde of triumphing, boasting of her choice, she concludes all with a kinde of resolute assurance, that the object of this her choice is farre beyond all comparison.
This is my Beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Hierusalem.
Which is the closing up of her commendations of Christ: This is my Beloved and this my friend, &c. Which shall onelyonly be touched because we had occasion to speake thereof before. She cals Christ her beloved, howsoever he had withdrawne himselfe in regard of the comfort and communion she had with him before, yet he is her beloved still.
That which is specially to be stood upon is, that the Church here doth set out not onelyonly in parcels, but in generall her beloved Christ: this is my beloved, she doth as it were boast in her beloved, whence observe:
A Christian soule seemes to glory as it were in Christ.Observ.
This is my beloved and this is my friend O yee daughters of Hierusalem: Divers ends why the Church thus in generall and particular sets forth the excellency of Christ.but to unfold more fully this point, there be three or foure ends why the Church thus stands upon the expressing of the excellencies of Christ in particular and in generall.
The one, To shew that it is most just that she should love and respect him in whom there is all this to deserve love,To shew how just it is to respect so excellent a person. both in himselfe, in regard of his owne excellencies so and in relation to us, in regard of his merits and deserts.
Secondly, To justifie her large affections before the world and all opposites. To justifie her strong affection to the stronger Christians.For the world thinks, what meane these who are called Christians to haunt the exercises of religion, to spend so much time in good things, they wonder at it for want of better information; now the Church here to justifie her large expressions, sayes, this is my beloved, this is my friend, O ye daughters of Hierusalem. duplicate page duplicate page
And not onelyonly to justifie, but likewise to glory therein, as you have it, Psal. 44. …. the Church there boasts of God,To boast and glory in God. I will make my boast of thee all the day long. So that Christians may not onelyonly justifie their course of life against enemies, but in some sort boast of Christ, as Paul oft doth, and he shewes the reason of it, that God hathy made Christ to us all in all, wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption, that whosoever glorieth might glory in the Lord: for is it not a matter of glorying in the Church when she hath such a head and such a husband. This is my beloved, the wife shines in the beames of her husband, therefore this yeelds matter not onelyonly of justification but of glory.
And next in the fourth place, the Church is thus large and shuts up all with a repetition,To enlarge her owne affections. this is my beloved, To inlarge her owne affections and to feed her owne love. For love feedes upon this fuell (as it were) upon expressions and meditations of the person or thing loved.That love is wages to itselfe Love is as it were wages of it selfe, the paines it takes is gaine to it selfe, to the Church here it is an argument pleasing, she dilates upon a copious Theame. I may truly say there is no greater comfort to a Christian, nor a readier way to inlarge the affections after Christ, then to speake oft of the excelleccies of Christ, to have his tongue as the pen of a ready writer furnished this way,To aggravate her owne shame and unkindnesie in so sleighting Christs love. this is my beloved, &c.
In the fift place another end of this may be to aggravate her owne shame, as indeed Gods children are much in this argument, that upon their second thoughts of Christs worthinesse and therewithall reflecting upon their owne unworthinesse and unkindnesse they may relish Christ the better. Therefore the Church here that it might appeare to her selfe for her humiliation how unkind she had beene to shut the doore against Christ when he knocked, whereupon he deservedly did withdraw himselfe and made her seeke him so long sorrowing, I tell you sayes she what a kinde of beloved he is, thus and thus excellent. How did the consideration of Gods kindnesse and love melt Davids heart after that horrible sinne in the matter of vriah, and the sweet lookes of Christ upon Peter, that had beene so unkind, melted him. So here the Church when she considered how unkindc she had beene to Christ her beloved, so incomparably excellent above other beloveds, to let him stand at the doore, till his locks were wet with the Dew of the night. The consideration hereof made her ashamed of her selfe, what so excellent, so deserving a person as my beloved is to me, to be used of me so? what indignity is this? Thus to raise up the aggravation of her unkindnesse, no question but the Church takes this course: for Gods children are not as untoward worldlings and hypocrits afraid to search and to understand themselves, the child of God loves to be well read in his owne heart and unworthy waies, therefore he layes all the blame he can upon himselfe every way, he knowes he looseth nothing by this, for there is more mercy in Christ then there is sinne in him, and the more sinne abounds in his owne feeling, the more grace shall abound, he knowes the mysterie of Gods carriage in this kinde. Therefore for this end (amongst the rest) she sayes, this is my beloved, and this is my friend, whom I have so unkindly used.
And the last reason why the Church is thus large was,To wind up the affections of her new beginning Christians. To draw and wind up the affections of those well meaning Christians that were commers on, who were inequisitive of the way to Syon. O ye daughters of Hierusalem, that you may know that there is some cause to seeke after Christ more then you have done before, I tell you what an excellent person my beloved is, to whet their affections more and more, and we see the successe of this excellent discourse in the beginning of the next Chapter, whether is thy beloved gone, &c.
These and the like reasons there are of the large expressions of the Church of the excelencies of Christ, this is my beloved, and this is my friend, Oh ye daughters of Hierusalem. But we will single out of these reasons for use that which I thinke fittest for us to make Use of.
Let us then oft thinke of the excellencies of Christ for this end, to justifie our endeavours and paines we take in the exercises of religion and to justifie Gods people from the false imputations of the world, that they lay upon them, as if they were negligent in other matters, and were too much busied in spirituall things. You see how large the Church is in setting out the excellencies of her beloved, & then she shuts up all (being able to say no more) justifying our cause, This is my beloved, and this is my friend. Doe you wonder that I seeke so much after him then: or wonder you at Christians, when they take such paines to keep their communion with Christ in a holy walking with, and depending upon God. These are no wonders, if you consider how excellent Christ is, what he hath done for us, and what he keepes for us in another world, that he will preserve us to his heavenly kingdome, till he put us into possession of that glorious condition that he hath purchased. Le the hearts of men dwell upon the consideration of these things, and then you shall see that Gods children are rather to be blamed that they are no more carefull, watchfull, and industrious, then to be taxed that they are so much. Our Saviour Christ said, Mat. 11. 19.Mat. 11. 19. Wisedome is justified of all her children. If you will make good that you are children of wisedome, you must be able to justifie the wisedome of God every way, to justifie your reading, hearing, your communion of Saints, to justifie all the exercises of Religion from an experimentall taste and sweetnesse of them, (as the Church doth here this is my beloved) What sayes Ioshua, this choice J have made, doe you what you will it matters me not,…. but I and my house will serve the Lord. So Paul makes a voluntary profession of his affection, Rom. 1. 2. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Jesus Christ, let the Gospell bee entertained in the world as it will, and let others thinke of me as they will, that I am forward in the preaching of it, I am not ashamed of it, and good reason he had not to be ashamed, for it is the power of God to salvation to all that beleeve, yea the saving power to us, and have not I cause to stand in the defence of it, and so he saith the 2 Tim. 1. 12.2 Tim. 1. 12 I know whom I have beleeved, &c. I am not ashamed to suffer bonds for his sake. Though the world thought him a meane person, J will not be scorned out of my Faith and Religion by shallow empty persons, that know not what Christ and Religion meaneth. No, I know wh…m I have beleeved; he is able to keepe that that I have committed to him against that day. Let us therefore be able to justifie from a judicious apprehension sweet divine truths. You see what justifications there are of the Church of God, wherefore should the Heathen say, where is now their God, and Psalme 42. 10. Oh it went to Davids heart, when they said where is now their God, what was become of his God when he was left in trouble, as the Church here, and what doth she answer; doth he let it goe with a question:Psal. 113 3. No sayes he our God is in Heaven and hath done whatsoever he pleased.
And this justification of Religion,The justificatio religious ind…avours is with disertion o… opposite courses. you may know by this signe, it is with the disertion of all discourses opposite to Religion whatsoever, he that justifies the truth, he esteemes meanly of other courses and discourses. Therefore in the next verse the Church vilifies the Idols, our God is in Heaven and doth whatsoever he pleaseth: the Idols are silver and gold, the worke of mens hands, they have eyes and see not, eares and heare not. And the more wee justifie Christ the more we will be against Antichrist and his religion, wee may know the owning of the one truth by the vilifying the other. Let us labour therefore to grow to such a convincing knowledge of Christ, the good things in him, and the wayes of God, as wee may be able to stand out against all opposition of the gates of hell whatsoever.
And to this end proceed in the study of Christ,To grow to know Christ more & his good things we must grow in admiration of them. and to a deeper search of him, and of the excellencies and good things in him, that we may say as Micah 7. Who is a God like to thee, that pardons sinnes and iniquities, and as David Psalme 113. Who is a God like our God that humbleth himselfe to behold the things done here below.
And desire also to this purpose the Spirit of revelation,We must pray for the Spirit of Revelation. that which Paul prayes for Ephes. 1. and Cap 3 that we may know that knowledge that is above all knowledge, the heig…h, depth, and breadth of Gods love in Christ. So sweet is God in the greatest abasements of his children, that he leaves such a taste in the soule of a Christian, that from thence he may be able to say, this is my beloved, when his beloved seemes not to care for him. When the Church seemed to be disrespected and neglected of Christ, yet she saies, This is my Beloved, and this is my friend, O ye daughters of Hierusalem.
Shall rich men boast of their riches,That if worldly and wicked men boast of earrhly things, much more ought wee of our portion in Christ. shall men that are in favour, boast of the favour of great persons, shall a man that hath large possessions boast and think himself as good & as great as his estate is, shall a base minded worldling be able to boast: why boastest thou thy selfe Oh mighty man?Psal. 52. 1. Nay you shall have malignan… spirited men, boast of their malignant destructive power, I can do this and that mischief, shall a man boast of mischiefe, that he is able to do mischief? and hath not a Christian more cause to boast in God and in Salvation? Lord shine on me saies David, Psal. 4. 7.let me enjoy the light of thy countenance, and that shall bring me more joy then they have, when their corne and wine increaseth: know this, as he goes on in the same Psalme, that God accepts the righteous man.
Therefore let us thinke we have much more cause to boast of God and of Christ in a spirituall manner,That Christ recon…led is the best portion. then the worldling hath of the world. Is not God and Christ our portion, and having Christ, have we not all things with Christ, put case all things be tooke from us; if a man have Christ, he is rich though he have nothing else, if he have all without him, His plenty is (as a Father faith, and as it is in truth) beggery. But whosoever hath Christ may thus rejoyce with David, Psal. 16. 7.The lot is fallen to me in pleasant places, ye I have a goodly Heritage. Would we have more then God in Christ, a ring with a Dyamond very precious in it, Now the Daughters of Hierusalem, hearing this large expression of affection, aske,
CHAP. VI. I.
Whither is thy Beloved gone O thou fairest among women? whither is thy Beloved turned aside that we may seeke him with thee?
HEere is another Question, the first which the daughters of Hierusalem aske is, what is thy beloved, wherupon the Church tooke occasion to expresse what her beloved was, upon her expression closing up all with this generall, This is my Beloved and this is my friende.
Then the second Question is, That a discovery of Christs excellencie must needs set us a work how to have him.whither is thy Beloved gone? One question begets another, and indeed if this question be well satisfied what is Christ above others, this will follow againe, where is he▪ how shall I get him? how shall I seeke him? what is the reason▪ this second question is seldome made? VVhither is he gone, how shall I get Christ? Because the former question, namely, What is Christ? is so seldome made. For if we did once know what Christ is, we would be sure with the daughters of Hierusalem to aske whither is he gone, that we may seeke him with thee.
We see here is a growth in the desires of the Daughters of Hierusalem, whence wee learne,
That grace,Observ. though it be in never so little proportion at the first,That grace begets grace the flame once kind led will not out but be a burning and growing. it is growing still.
From the first question, what is thy beloved, here is a second (upon better information) Whither is thy beloved gone, that we may seeke him with thee. Nothing is lesse then grace at the first, nothing in the world so little in proportion The Kingdome of Heaven is compared to a graine of mustard-seed,Mat. 13. that is, the worke of grace in the heart, as well as in the preaching of the Gospell, in the beginning is little. It is true of the worke of grace, as well as of the word of grace, that is like a graine of Mustard-seed at first, what is thy beloved enquires the Church at first, but when she heares of the excellency of Christ; then whither is thy beloved gone. Grace begets grace, there is a connexion and knitting together in Religion, good things beget good things: it is a strange thing in Religion, how great a matter ariseth of a little beginning. The woman of Samaria had but a small beginning of grace, and yet she presently drew many of her neighbours to beleeve in Christ. So Andrew, Iohn 1. As soone as he was converted he find… his brother Simon and tels him that he had found the Messias, and so brings him to Christ, and Philip as soone as he had got a sparke of Faith himselfe, he drawes also Nathaniell to come to Christ. Paul speakes of his bonds,Phil. 1. 13. how the noise of them was in Caesars Court, and many beleeved the very report, which howsoever it is not a working cause, yet it may be a preparing, inducing, leading cause to such things from one thing to another, till there follow this change and full conversion.An error of the Papists, touching the efficacy of grace in congrui…y. You see here the daugh…s of Hierusalem growing, Therefore let us labour to be under good meanes. Some of the Romists and others which are ill affected and grounded in that point, they thinke that the efficacie of grace is, as we call it from the congruity, fitnesse, and proportion of the meanes to the heart and will of man, and thereupon God converts one and not another, because there is a congruous and fit offering of meanes to him, when he is fitly disposed, and another is not fitly disposed, therefore there followes not upon it effectuall calling, so that the vertue of the meanes offered depends upon sureablenesse and fitnes in the party to whom the meanes are offered, and not upon the power and blessing of God, verily this is plausible, and goes down very roundly with many weake persons:That the meanes without a distinct consisting work… can doe nothing. but this is a false and a grosse error: for unlesse God by his holy Spirit doe worke by the meanes, no planting and watering will bring any increase and change the heart and minde, though there were greater meanes in Christs time, when he wrought these miracles then any time before, yet all those could not convert that froward generation: and it was Moses complaint in the wildernesse, where they had aboundance of meanes: God hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and eares to heare untill this day.Deut. 29. 4 When a man is planted under good meanes and frequents them,That usualy God workes with the means. then ordinarily it pleaseth God by the inward workings of his owne powerfull Spirit to worke greater matters, and those that keepe out of Gods reach, that will not come into places where they may heare good things, there is no hope of them, though there be many ill fish in the net, yet there is no hope to catch them that are without the net. So those that are kept out of all opportunities and occasions whereby Gods Spirit may worke upon them, there is no hope of them.
Let us learne this heavenly wisedome to advantage our selves this way, by improoving all good opportunities whatsoever whereby we may learne, for God works by outward meanes: good company, and good discourse, these breed excellent thoughts. As therefore we love our soules, take all advantages wherein the Spirit of God works, we shall find incredible fruit thereof, more then we would beleeve, but to come to the Question.
See here first of all in this Question, the blessed successe of the Churches inquiry after Christ in the daughters of Hierusalem; after they heard the large explications of th… excellencies of Christ, especially by the Church, whom they had a good conceit off, for they call her, the fairest among women.
And seeing likewise the confidence of the Church,That demonstrative affectionate confident explication of Christ, is never without wondrous successe. she stands to it, this is my beloved, yea also eagernesse in the Church, to seeke after him they would seeke him with her, so that where these meet, a large unfolding of the truth of God, and that by persons that are knowne to be good, well accepted and conceited off, and where there is a large demonstration of reall affection, and the things are spoken off with confidence, as knowing what they say, the word (I say) so managed it is never without wondrous successe.
For in the course of reason, what can I have to say, considering the party, who speakes is an excellent person, he is wiser and holier then I, he takes to heart these things, and shall not I affect that which those that have better parts and graces doe?
Then withall I see not onelyonly excellent persons doe it, but J see how earnest they are, surely there is some matter in it; for persons so holy, so wise, and gratious to bee so earnest, surely either they are too blame, or I am too dull and too dead, But J have most cause to suspect my selfe.
And to see them carried with a spirit of confidence, as if they were well enough advised when they deliver this (this is my Beloved) in particular, and then to shut up all in generall, This is my beloved, and this is my friend: I say, when there is grace and life in the heart, and earnestnesse with confidence: this together with the explication of the heavenly excellencies of Christ, and of Religion, it hath admirable successe, as here in the Church, the fairest among women, the daughters of Hierusalem, seeing the Church was so earnest, confident and so large in the explication of the excellencies of Christ, see how it works, it drawes out this Question with resolution, they joyne with the Church in seeking Christ. Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whether is thy beloved turned aside, that we may seeke him with thee? Where by the way observe, as the Church before doubles it, this is my beloved, and this is my friend: so they answer with a double question, whether is thy beloved gone, How to be happy instruments to convert others.whether is he turned aside, O thou fairest among woemen, &c. from this appellation note, If we would be happy instruments to convert others, being converted our selves,… such as the world may think to be good and gratio…s. labour to be such as the world may think… to be good and gratious: O thou fairest among woemen. Faire in the robes of Christ tooke out of his wardrop, all the beauty and ornaments that the Church hath, she hath from Christ, let us labour to be such as the world may conceit are good persons. We say of Phisitians, when the patient hath a good conceit of them the cure is halfe wrought: So the Doctrine is halfe perswaded, when there is a good conceit of the speaker.
Againe,To be earnest in those things we would inforce upon others. labour to be earnest: if we would kindle, others, we must be warmed our selves, if we would make others weepe, we must weepe our selves, naturalists could observe this, the Church spake this with large expressions, indeed more then can be exprest: let us labour to be deepely affected with what we speake, and speake with confidence, as if we knew what we spoke, as the Apostle Iohn doth, in the beginning of his Epistle to bring others to be better perswaded of his doctrine, he affirmeth that which was from the beginning, which we have heard,1. Ioh. 1. 1. which we have seene with these our eyes, which we have looked upon, and these hands of ours have handled of the Word of life he delivered to them.
For when we are confident from spirituall experience; it is wonderfull how we shall be instruments of God to gaine upon others. So Peter, 2 Pet. 1. 16.we followed not (saies he) deceiveable fables, when we opened unto you the power and comming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but with our eyes we saw his Majesty.
Doe not thinke it belongs onelyonly to the ministry, there is an art of Conversion that belongs to every one that is a growne Christian to winne others.
VVhither is thy Beloved gone, O thou fairest among woemen.
The next observation out of the words (because it is the especiall) which works upon the daughters of Hierusalem, is from the large explication of Christ,observ.
That which most of all stirrs up holy affections to search after Christ, is the large explications of his excellencies.
Then be in love with the ministry of the Gospell,That we ought to be in love with the ministry of the word, whereby the excellency of Christ is set foorth. and the communion of Saints, who have their tongues and their hearts taught of God so speake excellently, their tongues are as refined silver, their hearts are enriched to increase the communion of Saints. Marke this one excellency of that excellent ordinance of God in Christ,Pro. 10. 20. whereof Paul saith, Ephes. 3. To me is committed this excellent office to lay open the unsearchable riches of Christ, such riches as may draw you to wonder, such as eye hath never seene, nor eare heard, nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive,2 Cor. 5. and so to draw the affections of people after them.
And because it is the speciall office of the ministry to lay him open,That because the speciall of fice of the ministery is to un…old Christ, therefore all our discourse should tend this way in some sort. to hold up the tapistry, to unfold the hidden mysteries of Christ, labour we therefore to be alway speaking somewhat about Christ or tending that way, when we speake of the Law, let it drive us to Christ, when of Morrall duties, to teach us to walk… worthy of Christ. Christ, or somewhat tending to Christ should be our theame and marke to ayme at.
Therefore what shall we judge of those that are hinderers of this glorious ordinance of Christ in the Gospell, they are enemies of conversion and of the calling of Gods people, enemies of their comfort: and what shall wee thinke of those wretched and miserable creatures, that like Caine are vagabonds, who wander and will not submit themselves to any ordinance meekely, but keepe themselves out of this blessed opportunity of hearing the excellencies of Christ, which might draw their hearts to him, we are made forever, if Christ and we be one, if we have all the world without him it is nothing, if we have nothing in the world but Christ, we are happy. Oh happy then when this match is made betweene Christ and the soule, the friends of the Bride and of Christ, they laying open the uns…archable riches of Christ to the Spouse, drawe the affections, worke faith, and so bring the Bride and the Bridegroome together.
Thus farre of the Q…estion: now we have the Churches answer to the daughters of Hierusalem.
My Beloved is gone into his Garden, to the beds of Spices, to feede in the gardens, and to gather Lillies.
The Question was not for a bare satisfaction, but from a desire the Church had to seeke Christ, whither is thy beloved gone that we may seeke him. It was not a curious question, but a question of inquisition tending to practise, many are inquisitive, but when they know another mans meaning, it is all they desire: now I know your meaning will they say, but I meane not to follow your counsell. The daughters of Hierusalem had a more sincere intention, O thou fairest among woemen, whither is thy beloved turned aside▪ that we may seeke him with thee, whereunto the Church answered,
My Beloved is gone into his Garden to the beds of spices, That there …ught to …ee … en…y in spirituall …hin…s which may in…solid…m be devi…ed …to feed in the Gardens, Where we see,
The Church is not squemish, but directly answers to the question, for there is no envy in spiri…uall things, because they may be devided in solidum, one may have as much as another, and all alike. Envy is not in those things that are not divisible in other things, the more one hath, another hath the lesse. But there is no envy in grace and glory, because all may share alike, therefore here is no envy in the answer, as if she deni…d the daughters of Hierusalem the enjoying of her beloved; no if you will know (saies she) I will tell you directly whither my beloved is gone.
My Beloved is gone into his garden to the bed of spices, &c.
God hath two gardens, the Church Catholike is his garden, and every particular Church are gardens and beds of spices, in regard that many Christian… are sowne there that Chri…ts soule delights in, as in sweet spices. This was spoken off before at large in Chapter 5. 1. why the Church is called a garden being a severed place from the wa…te: the Chruch is severed from the wildernesse of the world in Gods care and love, likewise he tends and weeds his Church and garden: as for the waste of the world, he is content the wildernesse should have barren plants: but he will not endure such in his garden; therefore those that give themselves liberty to be naught in the Church of God, he will have a time to roo…e them out: Trees that are not for fruit, shall be for the fire, and above all other Trees their doome shall be the heaviest that grow in Gods garden without fruit:Luke 13. that fig-tree shall be cursed.
Men are pleas'd with answering the bill of accusation against them thus▪ are we no… baptised? and doe we not come to Church? &…. what doe you make of us,Th… folly and madnes of …uch who pleade they are spices and plants of Gods garden whilst they live in all pro…anesse. yet they are abhominable swearers and filthy in their lives. To …uch I say, the more God hath lift you up▪ and honoured you in the use of the meanes, the more just shall your damnation be, that you bring foorth nothing but briers and brambles, the grapes of Sodome and the vine of Gomorrah: Heb 6.heavy will the doome bee of many that live in the Churches bosome,D…ut. 32. 32. to whom it had beene better to have beene borne in America, in Turkey, or in the most barbarous parts in the world: they have a heavie account to make that have beene such ill proficients under aboundance of meanes, therefore it ought to bee taken to heart.
My Beloved is gone into his garden to the beds of spices to feed in the gardens and to gather Lillies.
That is having first planted them Lillies here,That Christ looks for Lillies to plant them in his garden, delight in them, and transport them into Heaven. to gather them, and to transport them out of the garden here, to the garden in Heaven, where there sh…ll be nothing but Lillies. For the Church of God hath two Gardens or Paradises since the first Paradise (whereof that was a resemblance) th… Paradise of the Chruch, and the Paradise of H…aven.Two Paradises As Christ saith to the good theefe, this day thou sh…le be with me in Paradise. So those that are good plants in the Paradise of the Church, they shall be glorious plants also in the Paradise of Heaven, we must not alway be here, we shall change our soyle and be taken into Heaven: He is gone into h…s garden to gather Lillies.
Christians are compared to Lillies for their purity and whitenesse unspotted in justification,In what respects Christians are compared to Lillies for pur… y, whitenesse, and unspotted…nesse. and for their endeavours in sanctity and holinesse, wherein also at length they shall be wholy unspotted, it is the end, (Ephes. 1. 4.) they are chosen too, to be holy without blame, before him in love. God and Christ looks upon them without blame, not as they are here defiled and spotted; but as they intend by little and little to purge and purifie themselves▪ by the Spirit that is in them, that they may be altogether without blame. They are Lillies being cloathed with the white garments of Christs righteousnesse, not having a naturall whitenesse and purity: the whitenesse and purity of Gods children is borrowed, all their beauty and garments are taken out of anothers wardrope, the Church is all glorious within: but she borrowes her glory, as the Moone borrowes all her light from the Sunne, the Churches excellency is borrowed, it is her owne but by gift, but being once her owne it is her owne for ever.
The Church before was likened to a garden culled out, an Eden, a Paradise, now there you know were foure streames, sweet and goodly rivers which watered Paradise, the heads of which rivers were without it. So the Church of God, her graces are her owne, that is the Spirit of God comes through her nature, purgeth and purifieth it, but the spring of those graces (as in Paradise) is out of her selfe.Because it is a tall goodly plant.
And then the Lilly is a tall goodly plant, therefore the Church is compared to them: other men are compared to thornes, not onelyonly for a noxious, hurtfull quality in them, but for their basenesse likewise, what are thornes good for, but to cumber the ground, to eate out the heart of it, to hide snakes, and for the fire. Wicked men are not Lillies but thornes, they are base meane persons.D…n. 11. 21. Antiochus is said to be a vile person though he were a King, because he was a naughty man. Wicked men though they be never so great being void of the grace of God are vile persons, though we must respect them in regard of their places, yet as they are in their qualification, they are vile and base thornes, but the Church is not so, but as a Lilly among thornes, that is among vile and abhominable persons.
The Use is to comfort Gods children,Vse. 1. they have an excellency and glory in them,com…ort Gods children. which howsoever it is not from them, yet it is theirs by gift and eternally theirs: therefore let them comfort themselves against all the censures of sinnefull persons that labour to trample them under foore, and thinke basely and meanely of them, as of the off-scowring of the world. Let the unworthy world thinke of them as they will, they are Lillies in Gods esteeme, and are so indeed, glorious persons that have the Spirit of glory resting upon them,1 Pet. 4. and whom the world is not worthy off,Heb. 11. though their glory be within: therefore let us glory in it, that God vouch safeth saving-grace to us above any other priviledge.
Againe,Vse. 2. it comforts us in all our wants whatsoever, that God will take care for us: Christ useth this argument: God saith he, clotheth the lillies of the field with an excellent beauty, he cares even for the meanest plants, and will he not take care for you O ye of little faith? doth he care for Lillies that are to day and to morrow are cast into the oven:Ma…. 6. 29. and shall he not care for the lillies of Paradise, the living lillies, those holy reasonable lillies? u…doubtedly hee will. Our Saviour Christs reason is undeniable, he that puts such a beauty upon the poore plants that flourish to day in the morning and wither before night, he that puts such a beauty upon the grasse of the field, will he not put more excellency upon his children, will he not provide for them, feed them, undoubtedly he will: thus we have shewed why Gods children in the Chruch of God are compared to Lillies.
To gather Lillies.
Christ is said to gather these Lillies,That Christs Lillies shall not lie scattered but he will gather them together. that is, he will gather them together, Christ will not have his lillies alone scattered, though hee leaves them oft alone for a while, yet he will ga…her them to Congregations and Churches: the name of a Church in the Originall is Ecclesia, it is nothing but a company gathered out of the world. Do we thinke that we are lillies by nature; no we are thornes and briers, God makes us lillies and then gathers us to other lillies, that one may strengthen another. The Spirit of God in his children is not a Spirit of seperation of Christians from Christians, but a spirit of seperation from the waste wild wildernesse of the world, as we say of fire, Congregat homogenea & disgregat heterogenea, it congregates all homogeniall things, as gold, which it gathers, but disgregates heterogeniall things, consumeth drosse; so the Spirit of God severs thornes and gathers lillies, gathers Christians together in the Church and will gather them for ever in Heaven.
Thus we see the answer of the Church to the daughters of Hierus…lem, That the issue of fruit…ull conference is great at last, though …at and dull al beginning.what it was, with the occasion thereof: the question of the daughters of Hierusalem whither is thy Beloved gone? so that the Church was beholding to the daughters of Hierusalem for ministring such a question to give her occasion to know better what her beloved was, indeed we many times gaine by weaker Christians, good questions, though from weake ones, minister suteable answers, it is a greeke Proverbe, that doubting begets plenty and aboundance, for doubting at the first begets resolution at last. O that we could take occasion hence, to thinke of this, what excellent vertue is in the communion of Saints, when they meet about heavenly exercises, what a blessing followes, when though at the entry, their affections may be flat and dull, yet they part not so, Christ heates and in…ames their hearts to doe mu…h good to one another. O those that shall forever live together in Heaven should they not delight to live more together on earth.
The end of the eighteenth Sermon.