The Excellency of Christ, Section 11
SECT. 11. Foure grounds which ſhould draw men to Chriſt.
4. I'le ſhew you what grounds ſhould move you ſo to goe to Chriſt, 4Dilatatiō of this uſe.and to get him into your hearts, as you were inſtructed.
1. Doe but conſider his admirable fragrancy and ſweetneſſe, 1 Chriſts ſweetneſſe. Me thinks there is no earthly thing that yeelds ſo perfect a pleaſure to any ſenſe, as the odor of the firſt roſe doth…o the ſent. B. Hall in his moſt: Excel. Occaſ. Medit. …3.for being like a roſe, he muſt needs be as redolent as a roſe (whoſe ſent is moſt ſweet and pleaſant) in regard of the ſweet odor of his gracious words and works of obedience active and paſſive, and in regard of the ſweetneſſe and faireneſſe of his perſon formerly mentioned; and therfore how▪ ô how ſhould ye be moved with this tranſcendent ſweetneſſe of that ſweeteſt roſe of Sharon, to ſeeke after it, and to get it? how farre doe men goe for fragrant ſpices; and how doe they adventure their lives, ſailing in the Indies, and the ſpicy Iſlands? but ye need not goe ſo farre for Chriſt, who is ſweeter then all ſpices; for he is nigh unto you, even in the word, which we preach unto unto you. Againe, ye need not leave your houſe and home, and friends, as men that are bound for the Indies, but onelyonly your ſinnes, and you ſhall not need to adventure your lives, if you goe to Chriſt; for then you ſhall finde them, and ſave them; and ſhould ye not be willing then to goe to Chriſt, which is but a little way, forſaking your beſt beloved ſinnes, which can yeeld but little comfort?
2. Conſider his delightfulneſſe: 2Chriſts delightfulneſſe.For being like a roſe, he muſt needs be as delectable as a roſe, which delights our eyes as much as any flower. *John …arion, Ch…on. l. 3 p 130.Some write of Titus the Romane Emperour, that he was of ſo ſweet and amiable a diſpoſition, as that he was commonly called, delitiae generis humani, the delight of mankinde, which might be but a flattering ſpeech of men; but of Chriſt Jeſus, that high and mighty monarch of heaven and earth, we may truly ſay ſo, without flattering, that he is indeed the very delight of mankinde: See Cant. 5.16. how he is ſaid to be altogether lovely or delectable, as the * Hebrew hath it, marke, he is altogether delightfull; delightfull I, namely in his perſon, firſt for its admirable beauty, Pſalme, 45.2.
2. Delightfull in his gracious Titles, for firſt, he is ſtiled the Light of men, Iohn 1.4. Now all know how delectable and pleaſing the light is, as the light of the ſun, the light of the ſtars, and the light of a candle, even little children do rejoyce at the light of a candle, and deſire to play with it, becauſe they ſee a delightfulneſſe in it, and we doe all take great delight in the ſhining ſun, and ſhall take a farre greater delight in that maſſe of ſhining light, which we ſhall ſee another day in the higheſt heaven, which for its brightneſſe may be truly *Z…sth de coe…o …e…t. c. 4termed foreign, hat is, all light; and therefore how delectable muſt Chriſt himſelfe needs be, who is the Light, and that light, foreign.even that tranſcendent light, Iohn 1.8. and that true light which enlighteneth; that is, *Scilicet rationts, ſe… intellig… Piſ…. … loc.endueth with reaſon, Every man that commeth into the world, or is borne into the world, and is the cauſe of another light, for as much as all things were made by him, ver. 3. yea, the very perfection of all created light, which *Plato… 7. d… A…ima.Plato termes the perfection of ſhining bodies.
2. He is called a *T…t. … 13Saviour, and the Saviour of all men, 1 Tim. 4.10. which title of his is ſo delightfull, as that it ſhould even cauſe your hearts to leap within you, when you heare it as Saint Iohn did leap in his mothers wombe for joy, at the voice of the bleſſed Virgins ſweeteſt ſalutation, Luke 1.44. yea, ſhould even forthwith pluck your hearts out of your breaſts and boſomes, to tranſplant them into the boſome of Chriſt; for how delightfull is the very naming of a temporall Saviour unto them that are in miſery, when they underſtand or heare of his willingneſſe to deliver them; and therefore how can your hearts chuſe but even dance for joy within you, whiles you heare me ſpeake of ſuch a Saviour as is called the Saviour of the world, and of all men, and ſo conſequently willing to ſave you alſo, if you ſhall beleeve in him? for ſo the Apoſtle goes on, who is the Saviour of all men, eſpecially of thoſe that beleeve, *Piſc. in loc.becauſe he ſaves them not only corporally, but ſpiritually and everlaſtingly, whereas otherwiſe he doth but *Vade B…ze verſi…. Co…ſervator om…iu…n▪preſerve you and others corporally;
3. Nay is he not called ſalvation it ſelfe, Luke 1.30. to ſhew, ſaith *Heary Smith …his fi… ſ…m… of t…ſang of Sim…on.one, that there is no other Saviour but this one; and this word ſalvation, quoth he, is the ſweeteſt word in all the ſcripture, and therefore how delightfull muſt he needs be, who beares this name, which is the ſweeteſt word in all the bible?
4. He is ſtiled a bridegroome, Iohn 3.29. Matt. 9.15. in Latine ſponſus, quaſi promiſſus, as being promiſed by his heavenly father, to be a husband unto all true beleevers. Now how delectable is the name of a bridegroome to a virgin, eſpecially it being told her that ſhe may have a bridegroome whoſe beauty and ſweetneſſe of diſpoſition paſſeth all other mens? and therefore how delightfull muſt Chriſt needs be, who is fairer then all the children of men, and ſweeter too, then all other men, in regard of his diſpoſition, and how ſhould ye be delighted with him, O my dearly beloved, when ye heare me tell of him deſiring you even forthwith to chuſe him for your bridegroome, forſaking all other ſinfull and ſenſuall delights, wherewith you have been hitherto too much enamoured and faſcinated, or bewitched? O conſider of it, conſider of it deare friends, you can never make the like choice, while the world ſtandeth, the Lord open your eyes and hearts, that you may ſee your owne good, and may not let ſlip ſo faire an opportunity to be ſo highly preferred, and for ever made!
5. Againe, is he not called a friend, Cant. 5.16. This is my friend, O daughters of Ieruſalem. Now how delightfull a good friend is you know likewiſe, the very ſight of ſuch a friend is ſweet *Ariſt. l. 9. Eth c. 11. * Franciſcus P…trar…bo, dial. 52.ſaith one; and hee that hath ſuch a friend, ſaith another, hath the ſweeteſt thing that may bee; nay, there is no thing better then it, next unto vertue upon Earth, quoth hee, preferring it before Parents, childrē, brothers, for as ſhining bodies doe even transfuſe ſome of their light into thoſe places which are nigh unto them: ſo doth a true and faithfull friend ſend forth, and breathe ſweetneſſe, and grace, and pleaſantneſſe, ſaith *Maximus monachus.another; and therefore how pleaſant muſt Chriſt needs be? who is that true and faithfull friend indeed, who being once befriended with any indeed, never ceaſes, nor can he ceaſe to be kind, and courteous, and affable unto him, and to ſend and dart forth ſome comfortable beames of his pleaſant countenance into his beleeving ſoule, to make it lightſome, ſerene, and chearfull? You will have all things common with you according to the mOmnia amicorum communia.nature of true friendſhip, which *Ariſt. l. 8. Eth. c. 9.requireth a ſocietie, and conſiſts of a ſocietie.
1. A common righteouſnes, I mean in the firſt place, Ier. 23.6.1 Cor. 1.1, 30.2 Cor. 5.21.
2. A common Father, Iohn 20.17.
3. A common kingdome, Ioh. 17.24 2 Pet. 1.11.
4. A common throne, in that celeſtiall kingdome, Rev. 1.11.
Now tell me what friend elſe can doe ſo much for you, as this friend will doe for you. Is there any that you know among all the friends you have, and in whom you take moſt delight? No, No, there can be none ſuch, but Chriſt, none but Chriſt; and therfore, O that you were willing to forget even father & mother, brethren, and ſiſters, and all your kindred, yea, and all other friends beſides, that are carnall, for this deare friend Chriſt his ſake as it is written, Hearken, O daughter, and conſider, and encline thine eare, and forget alſo thine owne people, and thy fathers houſe, Pſal. 45.10. The Lord incline your hearts to doe it, that ſo you alſo may be able to ſay in truth, This Chriſt who is that pleaſant roſe of Sharo…, is our friend alſo as well as yours, ô ye daughters of Jeruſalem, Cant. 5.16.
3. Conſider Chriſts lovingneſſe, who for being like a roſe, Ch… lovingneſſe.and as red as a roſe, in regard of his bloudſhed, he muſt needs be moſt loving, or elſe he would never ſhed his heart blood for us. See how the Apoſtle reaſoneth. *1 Ioh. 3.16.Hereby perceive we the love of God, that is, of Chriſt, who is God, as well as man, becauſe he laid down his life for us. Great was the love of theſe two great friends, *Val Max. lib. 4.Damon and Pythias, who were even ready to dye one for another; but greater was Chriſts, who did lay down his Life for us, being then none of his friends, but his greateſt Enemies, Rom. 5.10. and therefore how loving, ô how loving a Saviour, ſay I, muſt Chriſt needs be, who out of his meere and free love would even unſoule himſelf for us men by death, and depoſe his bleſſed life for us rebels, that had juſtly expo…ed our ſelves to the ſtroke of death by our ſinfull life!
O go, go then unto this loving and gracious Saviour, ye poore ſinners, go, be not afraid of him, for if he would have you die, he would never have dyed himſelf for you; and if he were minded to deny you that eternall life, which every one of you ſhould infinitely preferre before this preſent life, which is but fraile and mortall, and momentany, he would never have laid down his own moſt precious life, to deliver you from that death which is eternall; or thus, as Manoahs wife ſaid once to her husband, when he was afraid that they ſhould ſhould ſurely dye, becauſe they had ſeen God; If the Lord were pleaſed to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering at our hands, and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have ſhewed us at thoſe things, nor would he at this time have told us ſuch things, as theſe, Iudg. 13.22, 23. ſo ſay I unto you, if happily you be afraid leaſt you dye, and that for ever, being damned by the Law of God for your ſins in generall, and for your unbeliefe in ſpeciall, becauſe you have not yet by faith ſeen and beheld the Lord Chriſt, as it is written, he that beleeveth not is condemned already. Iohn 3.18. if the were pleaſed to kill you, he would not have offered himſelf as an offering unto God, his Father, upon the croſſe, neither would he have now ſhewed you all theſe things, which you have heard related of him, onelyonly *Aug. in Pſal. 148. Crede, Crede, &c.beleeve beleeve on him, and then you ſhall not die but live. For ſo God loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son, that whoſoever beleeveth on him ſhould not periſh but have everlaſting life, Iohn 3.16. wherefore *Ezech. 18.31, 32.caſt away from you all your tranſgreſſions, whereby you have tranſgreſſed, and ſo going away from your ſins go and draw neere to Chriſt, by faith in his name, which the Lord in mercy grant you. For why will you dye, ô houſe of Iſrael. Or thus, why will you dye, ô ye poore ſinners, the Lord hath not pleaſure in the death of him, that dyeth, wherefore turne your ſelves, and turne in unto Chriſt by faith, and live you, The Lord of life put life in you that ye may live; I humbly beſeech his Majeſtie.
4. Conſider alſo, my dearely beloved, 4Chriſts nee…fulneſſe.the needfulneſſe of Chriſt, who therefore reſembles himſelf to aroſe, that you may ſee what need you have of him. For Roſes, as you know, we can *The roſe is chiefe of all flowers. William Langham in his garden of health, pag. 535.hardlyeſt ſpare of all flowers, becauſe they be ſo uſefull and ſo medicinall, whereby you may eaſily conceive how needfull then Chriſt himſelf is, in whom, as the Creator, according to that often mentioned rule, there muſt needs be more medicinallneſſe and needfulneſſe then poſſibly can be in a created Roſe, unto which he is pleaſed to compare his ſacred ſelf;
Take a view of ſome particular reſpects.
1. See how needfull he is in regard of the life naturall.
2. In regard of the life ſpirituall.
3. In regard of the Life eternall.
1. To begin with the life Naturall, 1Inregard of the life Naturall.what is it without Chriſt, but a curſed death? for without him, you are ſtill under the curſe, Gal. 3.10, 13▪ So as that your very meat and drink, and wealth, and ſtore, and fruits, and bodies are all accurſed; ſee Deut. 28.15, 16, 17, 18. till Chriſt who was made a curſe for them that beleeve, deliver you from that curſe, Gal. 3.10. and have you not cauſe enough to go to Chriſt to be freed from ſuch a curſe? ſome Emperours and Kings have even proſtrated themſelves before the Popes of Rome, being but excommunicated by Popes to be freed from their curſe. *Lob. Corion C…en, lib. 4 p. 217. Nicolaus Vigni…, An. 11…77.Frederick Barbaroſſa, that glorious and victorious Emperour of Rome, did even ſuffer one of the Popes of Rome to tread upon his neck to have his abſolution, and to free his ſon, who was then the Popes priſoner at Venice. But you for your part need not goe to the Pope of Rome, but onelyonly to Chriſt, by faith, who is in the middeſt of us, to be exempted from the curſe of God upon your eſtates, and b…dies, as well as ſouls, and you need not put your necks under the odious feet of an imperious and in…ing Pope, but under the yoke of Chriſt, who ſaith, I am lowly, and my yoke is eaſie, and my burden is light, M… b. 11.29, 30. and ſhould ye not be willing to go to Chriſt, yea, into Chriſt, believing on him, to free your ſelves from that curſe, which lyeth ſo heavy upon you, and upon all that you poſſeſſe.
Secondly, 2In regard of the life ſpirituall.Conſider Chriſts needfulneſſe in regard of the life ſpirituall.
1. It is he that muſt free you from the burning heat of filthy luſts, and covetous deſires. Yea, from the reign and power of every heating ſin, even as Roſes either diſtilled or infuſed or conſerved, do take away, or allay the heat and hight of hot diſeaſes and purge the body. See Iohn 8.36. If the ſonne therefore ſhall make you free, ye ſhall be free indeed, whereupon it followeth, that if he deliver us not, we are in bondage ſtill, and are ſick ſtill, even very ſick, irrecoverably ſick of the moſt dangerous and contagious leproſie of ſin; nay, for ever ſick, and for ever in thraldome for the will of the damned will be ever perverſe, ſaith *Lombard l 4. diſt. 50. where he decideth the queſtion, whether the damned ſhall ſin in hell alſo, yea, or no.Lombard, Some ſins, men may leave indeed, for want of means and opportunities, or for feare, whereupon they may conceive that they are not ſo bad as they are. Yea, may even juſtifie themſelves with the Phariſee, Luke 18.11. and conclude, that they are indeed converted, and ſhall be eternally ſaved; but there is none for all this of all thoſe that are out of Chriſt, who liveth not under the power and predominancy of one commanding ſinne or other, inwardly, or outwardly, or both, becauſe Chriſt hath ſaid it, that he muſt make us free, if we ſhall be free indeed, mark indeed, or ſubſtantially, really, exiſtently, as the *foreign.originall hath it, and not imaginarily, verbally, ſeemingly, as many conceive themſelves to be, being lamentably deceived, and that either becauſe they never ſearch themſelves to any purpoſe, or becauſe God hath deſervedly aQuis enim neſciat fieri ut humo detur in repr… bum ſenſum de m…i…o praecedentium p…atorum, ut non videat peccata ſua. Gabr. Biel. in Can. M…ſ… ſae Lect. 8. m…hi, ſol. 11.given them over, for their former delinquencies, and abhorred exorbitancies into a reprobate ſenſe, that they cannot feele, nor ſee their ſins.
Take a Survey, if you will, of thoſe ſeverall Lordly ſins, which domineere over them, and then their guiltineſſe, and filthineſſe, will appear as cleare as the noon day.
Firſt, Some of them cannot deny, if they will but tell the truth, that they are moſt horrible ſwearers; though perhaps they be no theeves, or adulterers.
Secondly, others moſt audacious prophaners of the Lords moſt holy and glorious Day, pretending Chriſtian libertie.
Thirdly, others they be no ſwearers, yet are moſt ſpightfull, ungratefull, and ſtubborn againſt their very parents, being worſe then brute creatures, which do recompenſe, ſupport, and help their bCiconia enim feſſos p…rentes fert humer…s, & ore jiſdem ſuppeditat cibos Geſnerus.aged parents as much as much as they can, 2 Tim. 3.2.
Fourthly, others, though they be neither drunkards, nor uſurers, yet are moſt fierce like Tigers, bears, and Lions, when they are provoked, 2 Tim. 3.3.
Fifthly, others are moſt laſcivious, either in, or out of the ſtate of marriage, like unto filthy Dogs, and neighing Horſes.
Sixthly, others moſt inſatiably covetous and greedy, like the cProv. 30.15.Horſeleeches daughters, which ever cry, give, give, d…ſucking blood and vomiting it up again, to ſill themſelves afreſh.
Seventhly, others moſt brutiſhly intemperate in eating or drinking, ſ…etimes breaking out by notorious drunkenneſſe, and gluttonie, and ſometimes vailing themſelves with a kinde of reſtraint, when they be not ſo over-drunk, nor ſo notoriouſly gluttonous; as others, but only do over greedily pleaſe their pallates with delicate meat, and ſtrong drink; which both they love better then God himſelf who made both, 2 Tim. 3.4.
Eighthly, others are as envious as Saul, e… Sam. 18.8, 9.or as a fGemin. l. 4. c. 43.Peacock, who out of envie, as it were, hideth his own dung, which is moſt medicinall, that man may not be the better for it.
Ninthly, others are moſt hatefull and malicious, againſt ſome, either; Firſt, Becauſe they differ from them in the power of religion; or ſecondly, becauſe they are like to carry away ſome profit, or ſome preferment, or applauſe, which they would fain have, and gaine to themſelves; or thirdly, becauſe they have given them ſome, even the leaſt diſtaſte, therefore they cannot endure the ſight of them, yea, they could even teare them, being like a *St. Baſil Orat. de Invid & odio mihi, p. 823.Panther, who if he doe but ſee a mans picture upon a paper will teare it, becauſe he hateth him moſt deadly, and cannot abide him.
Tenthly, others are as inſolent and proud as the devill himſelfe, manifeſting ſo much by their monſtrous faſhions, paintings, boaſtings, or elſe keeping it in ſecretly to themſelves, as being contented with a hidden, moſt eager and greedy deſire of vaine-glorie, which like an ever vexing, urging, and ſcourging *Hoc enim ſisriarum p…prium eſt ant corum qui fini…s …itantur. Calep.fury ſo hunteth them, as that they doe even all they doe to Mat. 23.5.be ſeen of men, who ſee but their glorious works, but cannot ſee their odious pride, and abominable affectation and ambition. I ſhould be infinite, if I ſhould nominate all the domineering ſinnes which reigne in the children of diſobedience, and convince them to be out of Chriſt, who makes men free, theſe may ſuffice at preſent; onelyonly ſuffer me to perſwade you, who live under ſuch tyrannous Lords, even therefore to get Chriſt, that by him you may be freed from ſuch an inſufferable tyranny; or if you will have me ſpeake more ſutably, to the metaphor of a cooling roſe, from the foreſaid burning *Fit enim quaedam lepra de cholera inficiexte ſanginem ac d…itur leonina, Gaemin. l. 6. c. 11.leproſie of ſinne, we read, 2 King. 5.1.23. that Naaman the Syrian was a great man with his maſter, and honourable, and a mighty man of valour, but a Leper, which ſpoiled all, whereupon a little Hebrew maid, which waited on his wife, ſaid to her miſtreſſe, would God my Lord were with the Prophet that is in Samaria, for he would recover him of his leprofie. Anſwerably whereunto ſay I unto you, who may be ennobled likewiſe with many excellent naturall parts and endowments, but withall are ſtained with one kind of leprofie or other (for there are ſundry kinds of it) I meane one infectious reigning ſinne or other, being either outwardly and notoriouſly ſpotted as Elephants, Diſtinguitur enim à medicis quadruplex …ommuniter lepra, Elephantia, L…onina, Tygria. Allopecia.or inwardly ravenous as Wolves, or fierce as Lyons, or deceitfull as ſerpents (that I may allude to all the foure ſorts of naturall leproſie) whoſe heat and power none but Chriſt the roſe of Sharon can take away. To you I ſay, as that damoſell wiſhed her maſter to be with the Prophet Eliſha, ſo doe ye heartily wiſh and deſire now that your ſoules may be with Chriſt, that ſweet roſe of Sharon, Chriſt Jeſus, that he may recover them of their ſpirituall leproſie. Some write of *Agath 79. papa vir fi…t tantae ſanctitatis ut leproſum obviam factū oſ…ula ſuo ſtatim liberarit. Gara…za. Summa Concil▪ & po…tif. mihi. ſo. 208.Agatho, that he was a man ſo holy and gracious, as that with a kiſſe he did cure a man of his leproſie, aſſoone as he met him, which relation whether it be true or no, this I am moſt certaine of, that Jeſus Chriſt, the roſe of Sharon, both can and will free not one leper onelyonly, but every one of you whoſe ſoules are leprous, from their moſt infectious and pernicious ſpirituall leproſie, if you doe but kiſſe him with the kiſſe of faith. See Act. 15.9. how he is ſaid to *Hinc Amhroſ. in Pſal 118. ſer. 10. Niſi per fiaē diligatur, Deu… non mundatur cor ad ſciend…meum.purifie the heart by faith; and therefore get faith firſt, and then kiſſe Chriſt next, obſerving the inſtructions formerly tendred unto you, and praying eſpecially, or ſpeaking as much to Chriſt, as the damoſell to her miſtreſſe. O that our poore ſoules alſo were with thee, as the ſoules of others are, ſweet Jeſu! O let them come to thee, and that they may come, draw them, and then free them, as Eliſha freed Naaman from the leproſie of ſin and corruption, we humbly pray thee. This doe, and then I dare ſecure you in the words of Chriſt, that ye ſhall be all cleane through the word of Chriſt, or by vertue of the word of Chriſt, which I have preached unto you, Iohn 15.3.
Secondly, it is Chriſt that muſt quicken you to live the life of grace: as roſes in vineger eſpecially doe revive a man that is taken with dead pulles, that he may live the life of nature, for therefore he is ſaid to be the life of beleevers, Col. 4.34. and to live in them, Gal. 2.20. and this life is ſo neceſſary, as that without it we can doe nothing, that is, nothing as we ought, acceptably and ſincerely, to the right end, and in the right manner: For otherwiſe men may doe many things, as Herod, Mar. 6.20. they may pray much, heare much, read much, faſt muſt, give much, repeate much, confer much, yea, they may have ſhewes of every grace, ſaith *Belton.one, inſomuch as that they may even deceive both others and themſelves, as thoſe fooliſh parabolicall virgins, Matt. 25.11, 12. who, becauſe they were virgins, did make no queſtion but they ſhould enter into the coeleſtiall marriage, as well as the wiſe; for therefore they ſaid, Lord, Lord, open unto us, but they could have no other anſwer but this, ver. 12. Verily I ſay unto you, I know you not, for they wanted the oyle of the life of grace, and held forth only the empty Lamps of ſhewes of grace. Againe, they wanted Chriſt, who is the life of the righteous, and the oyle, or cauſe and ground of the light and life of grace, and therefore he tels them, I know you not: ſo that needs you muſt get Chriſt, if ye will truly live the life of grace, or elſe though you make never ſo many ſhews, you will but deceive your ſelves, like thoſe virgins, or like thoſe ſilly *Sceleratae quaedam mulieres, daemonum illuſionibus ſeductae, nocturnis horis cum Diana paganorum Dea & innumera mul. titudine mulierum creda…t ſe aequitare ſuper beſtias quaſdam, & multa terrarum ſpatia pertranſire. Concil Aneyr. con. 24.women, who, in ancient time, being deluded by Satan, did verily thinke that they did ride on beaſts by night, and travell over many countries, when they did not: ſo you will but imagine that you goe I know not how farre in the way of life and true godlineſſe, having a forme thereof; whereas, for want of Chriſt your hearts will not ſtirre nor move a whit as they *Nullus aut diligere Deum ſicut oportuet, aut credere in Deum, aut operari propter Deum quod bonum eſt poteſt, niſi gratiae eum & miſerecordia Dci praevenerit. Con. Tranſ. … to 2 mih p. 23ought, ſo as that you ſhall do what you doe in ſincerity, and truth, and to the glory of God, becauſe the truth hath ſaid it, without me ye can doe nothing: O goe then and get Chriſt, what ever ye doe in the manner and order aforeſaid, and let none of you ſleep or ſlumber as the fooliſh virgines did; but ſtirre and rouze up your drooping ſpirits, and goe I will not ſay, ad vendentes, to them that ſell, as the wiſe virgins ſaid to the fooliſh, but ad vendentem, or to him that ſells himſelfe, I meane Chriſt himſelf, and beg faith, which is like gold, for he ſelleth it, yea, himſelfe, for loe here he offereth himſelfe, ſaying, Rev. 3.18. I counſell thee to buy of me gold, that is, faith, that thou mayeſt be rich, and rayment, that is, me, Chriſt himſelf, that thy nakedneſſe may not appeare, I adde by way of expoſition; but rather that thou mayſt be graced and clothed with the glorious robe of my righteouſneſſe imputed, and with fine linnen of habituall righteouſneſſe infuſed, and derived from the fulneſſe of grace and goodneſſe, which is in me, as the ocean and fountaine of all grace and holineſſe, Iohn 1.16.
Thirdly, it is Chriſt that muſt comfort your ſoules, as roſes doe comfort the heart of the body. See Ioh. 15.26. Ioh. 16.7. how himſelfe againe and again… …oth promiſe to ſend the comforter …plying, that if any man will be be… … with the ſweet conſolations … …e muſt be beholding to … he muſt goe without out it: even as whoſoever would have corne in the ſeven yeares of famine, was to get it of Ioſeph, or elſe he might ſtarve, even in Egypt it ſelfe, where there was corn enough in the granaries erected by Ioſeph for that purpoſe. So a man ſay I, may live in the church, & want that true and ſolid comfort, which commeth by Chriſt, both in his life and in his death, though he live in a place, where there is no want of comfort, but comfort enough taught and profered, and to be had by Chriſt, unleſſe he will repaire to Chriſt, who is the true and careſull Joſeph, that muſt impart unto us his holy ſpirit the comforter, A Prolepſeand cheare up our hearts, as a roſe.
Some temporaries that are illuminated and forward for a time, ſuch as are ſaid to have taſted of the heavenly gift, and of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come, …eb. 6.5, 6. may have certaine flaſhes of joy and comfort; but the true, and ſound, and ſolid comfort, which differs as much from their taſte, as the taſting of good meat from the eating of it, none can enjoy and feele but onelyonly by Chriſt himſelfe, inhab…ing the heart, and bleſſing it with the ſweeteſt influence of the unutterable joyes and comforts of his holy ſpirit, by whom he doth not only enlighten them as temporaries, but alſo regenerates, and new creates them in ſuch an admirable and glorious manner, as that the joy and comfort thence reſulting, muſt needs be alſo full of glory, 1 Pet. 1.8. And therefore as they that wanted corne, went to Ioſeph in Egypt to get ſome, ſo do ye repaire to Chriſt, beleeving in him, that ſo you alſo may rejoyce in him with joy unſpeakable and full of glory: For why will ye, and how can ye live ſo uncomfortably, as ye have lived formerly, being altogether deſtitute of that holy ſpirit of promiſe, whoſe ſoule-refreſhing comforts none can truly feele, till he be truly and throughly come home to Chriſt.
3. So for the life to come, 3In regard of liſe ete… nall.it is Chriſt that muſt procure and aſſure the ſame unto you, or elſe you muſt never looke for it, but rather for death and deſtruction, as it is probably conceived, that if roſes had not revived ſome by Gods bleſſing upon them, they had dyed when they were taken with grievous pulls. See Iohn 3.36. He that beleeveth not the ſonne, ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him. Hence *De Corrept & grat l. c. 7.Auſtin, no man is freed from the damnation which Adam hath brought upon us, but only by faith in Jeſus Chriſt.
This one ground well digeſted, is like to doe you moſt good; for as I told you formerly, the terrors of the law, breathing out nothing but horror, and damnation, muſt firſt make you afraid, before you will goe to Chriſt a… ye ought: even as a great many men will never yeeld to leave the world, and the cares of it, till they ſee that they muſt die; and as ſome others will never beg, being too much aſhamed to doe it, till they ſee that they muſt doe it, or ſtarve: ſo you will never yeeld to leave your deareſt ſins, and boſome delights, and to beg faith in good earneſt, and to goe to Chriſt by faith, unleſſe you ſee death as it were before your eyes, and conſider of it ſeriouſly, that you muſt ſtarve, and dye, and periſh for ever in that formidable and horrible lake, which burneth with fire and brimſtone if you doe it not.
And therefore, as *2 …am. 2.23.men went no farther, but ſtood ſtill by the dead body of Aſael: ſo goe no further, till ye have viewed and digeſted this chiefe and laſt ground, concerning life and death, that ſo you may proceed no farther, neither in your chaſe and eager purſuit after the profits, ſports, pleaſures and preferments of this world; but rather may beg ſaving faith of Jeſus Chriſt, who is the author of it (as I noted before) and then may looke up by faith on Jeſus Chriſt, that ye periſh not. O my dearly beloved, what will not a man doe that he may not *Quomodo homines omnem impe…dunt operam ne moriantur temporaliter, quare non item ne moriantur in aeternum. Aug de verb. Apoſt ſer. 18.die; Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life, ſaid Satan once to God, Iob 2.4. I adde, eſpecially, if a man being a priſoner, were like to be carried every moment out of his priſon the place of execution, there to be roſted in a chaire of braſſe by a ſmall fire, and ſo to dye by little and little, and to finiſh his miſerable life in unſpeakable torments, would not a man give all that he hath that he might not dye ſuch a fearfull death. And therefore what is it that you ſhould not be willing to doe, and to forgoe, who being priſoners too, muſt expe… every minute to be carried away of the devill, who keeps you in priſon, 2 Tim. 2.26. into the terrible place of execution, called hell, there to be roſted, and to be burned, and tormented, not by a ſmall, but a great and mighty fire, which the wrath or breath of God, like a ſtreame of brimſtone, doth kindle, Eſa. 30.33▪ even for ever and ever, if Chriſt free you not▪ nay, ſuppoſe a man might eſcape ſuch a temporall puniſhment of fi…e, and ſave his life, if he would but goe forth out of priſon to his King, who can free him, falling downe before him, and ſubmitting himſelfe unto him to be diſpoſed of by him, doe ye thinke he would not willingly leave his priſon, and even run to the King, and do any thing rather, that the King ſhall command, then burne, Well, you may eſcape ſo, I am ſure, and therefore ſhould ye not gladly leave ſinne, which is but like a ſtinking priſon, and goe to Chriſt the King of Kings, who requireth no more but your comming, and the leaving of your ſinnes, and humbling of your ſoules, and a ready ſubmiſſion to be diſpoſed by his holy will▪ Le… Satan then ſuggeſt what he will, ſaying, how can ye forgoe ſuch a da…ing delight? and how can ye ſpare ſuch a ſweet gaine? and how can ye live without ſuch honour? you may now eaſily put him off with his owne words, ſaying, All that a man hath will he give for his life; are not theſe thine owne words? canſt thou deny them Satan? thou canſt not, thou canſt not; and therefore, never trouble us more with theſe inſinuations and whiſperings of thine, we are reſolved to ſuffer ſuch a temporall loſſe rather, and to goe to Chriſt now, then to goe on in our ſinnes to the utter undoing and looſing of our poore ſoules for ever and ever. Thus repell Satan, and thus be induced, I pray you, to conſider the day of your viſitation, and the moſt terrible danger you are in, that ſo you may come home to Chriſt, and Chriſt may come to you, which God in mercy grant for his goodneſſe, and for his Chriſts ſake.