The Excellency of Christ, Section 7
SECT. 7. Comfort for Gods carefull people.
3. THis point may ſerve to cheare up all Gods people, 3This ſerves to comfort, and to cheere up Gods people.that their deare Saviour is thus pleaſed to compare himſelfe to a Roſe: For as roſes are able to comfort the very heart, and to *Tho. Hill in his art of gardening, p. 88.rejoice the bloud: ſo Chriſt muſt needs be very comfortable too, yea tranſcendently more.
1. I ſay Chriſt muſt needs be much more comfortable, refreſhing, and reviving, and that in a twofold reſpect:
For 1. 1Reſpect. b… R…ſa r…f…igerat. Dioſcor. l. 1. c 112. de medica materia. Id. c. 113.as roſes doe * refreſh and coole mens bodies in hot diſeaſes * and ſweats, and allay the heate: So Chriſt is able to allay the burning heate of hell fire, though you ſhould feele it ſweating, as it were, in your very ſoul, as he ſweat bloud himſelfe in the anguiſh of his ſoule, Luke 22.44. to deliver us from the horror and fire of hell, and to make us glad.
2. 2Reſpect. c Petr. A…dr. Mattbiol. in Dioſcer. l. 1. c. 112.As roſes doe revive men when they are taken with dead palſies: So Chriſt will reſtore his to life againe, Ioh. 6.54. Who ſo eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my bloud, hath everlaſting life, and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day.
2. I affirme that Chriſt is tranſcendently more comfortable then a roſe. For as much as every dD…onyſ. Areopag.excellency and goodneſſe which is in any creature, is is ſtill after a more excellent manner in the Creator.
And here that you may ſee this tranſcendency, as much as I am able to make you ſee it, I pray you take notice of theſe following diſproportions.
1. 1Diſproportion.Sometimes, I meane in the wi… ter there is not a freſh roſe to be ſeen nor to be had in all the fields of c I ſay our land, becauſe about Carthage there are freſh roſes all the winter long, as Petr. Andr. Matth. in l. 1. D…ſ…. c. 112. affirmeth it.our land, if one would give never ſo much for any to ſmell to it; but Chriſt is ever to be found, and never wanting unto thoſe that ſeeke him, neither winter nor ſummer, that is, in adverſity as well as in proſperity, yea, moſt of all, and chiefly then, Eſa 43.1, 2. and therefore how much more comfortable muſt he needs be then all roſes?
2. 2Diſproportion.And though alſo other corruptible roſes may be had and uſed, yet can they not adminiſter comfort unto us at all times, even whileſt we have them, how ever they may exhilarate the heart at ſome times; but Chriſt as he is alwaies to be found in a time of need, ſo is he alwaies able to comfort us in a time of need, Heb. 4.16.
3. 3D…ſp… portion.When other roſes doe yet comfort the heart, alas how cold and weak is that comfort, being not able to penetrate and reach to the ſoule? For the operation of roſes is but phyſicall, and not metaphyſicall, corporall, and not ſpirituall; but Chriſt the roſe of Sharon comforteth the very ſoule of a man, as you may ſee, Pſal. 103.3. where David communs with his ſoul, ſaying; Who healeth all thy diſeaſes, mark, all thy diſeaſes, O my ſoule; and in Eſa. 66.13. where God (and ſo conſequently Chriſt alſo, who is God) promiſeth us moſt graciouſly, that he will comfort us; as one whom his mother comforteth, marke, as a fQuae amore liberos in ſinu nutriens omnem ſuperat charitatem. H…yme in locmother who moſt affectionately comforteth the very ſoule of her childe, whereas the roſe doth but comfort the body; and therefore how raviſhing and how great muſt needs be that comfortableneſſe, which is in the Lord Chriſt; the comforts of a mother we know are exceeding great and ſweet, and doe a childe more good then honey or ſugar. And ſuch are Chriſts; nay, I dare ſay as inſinitely greater as himſelfe, being an infinite God, is infinitely greater in compaſſion then any mother. See Eſa. 49.15. Can a woman forget her ſucking childe, that ſhe ſhould not have compaſsion on the ſon of her wombe, yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee.
4. 4Diſproportion.And though roſes do ſometimes revive men, being faint, yet can they not take away the ſting of death it ſelfe; nor comfort us after death, though many doe beſtrow the dead with roſes; but Chriſt can doe both:
1. He can, nay he hath taken away the ſting of death; as it is written, O death I will be thy plague, Hoſ. 13.14.O grave I will be thy deſtruction: repentance ſhall be hid from mine eyes, or though comfort be now hid from mine eyes, ſaith the *Lyra in loc.Prophet, for the Hebrew is Nocham, which ſignifieth comfort as well as repentance; and therefore it is ſo tranſlated both by Saint Ierome, and Doctor Luther. And hence it was that Bainham, that bleſſed Martyr, uttered thoſe moſt comfortable words in the midſt of the fire, * O ye papiſts, M Foxe.behold you looke for miracles, and here you may ſee a miracle; for in this fire I feele no more paine, then if I were in a bed of Downe, but it is unto me as a bed of roſes. This he ſpeakes when his legs and armes were halfe burnt.
2. But eſpecially after death Chriſt doth comfort the precious ſoules of his, giving unto them the crowne of life, Rev. 2.10. and comforting them in Abrahams boſome, Luke 16.25. which is a place of bliſſe and everlaſting wealth, and of gCyril. Alex, hom paſc. 11unexpected delights, even hOrigen Dial 2 contra Marcion.heaven it ſelfe.
5. 5Diſproportion.Other roſes can doe us no good in loſſes and reproaches, and in other externall afflictions, though they may comfort our heatts in ſome diſeaſes; but Chriſt can and doth ſolace his then too, as you may read, Acts 5.41. how the bleſſed Apoſtles did even rejoyce, when they were moſt reproachfully uſed, and ſhamefully beaten, becauſe they were worthy to ſuffer ſhame for Chriſts name. So Heb. 10.34. you may note how thoſe beleeving Hebrewes did even joyfully endure the ſpoiling of their goods. The like is reported of Paulinus Biſhop of Nola, that having loſt all, at the taking of Nola, he uttered theſe words: Let me not be afflicted and vexed, O Lord, for gold or ſilver, for thou art all in all unto me; and of the people of iAug. de Civ. Dei, l. 1. c. 10. k M. Foxe in his Acts and Monuments.Merindol, that when they ſaw their houſes burnt before their eyes, they rejoyced at it greatly, being honoured ſo highly, as to ſuffer that loſſe for Chriſt his ſake, who inabled and cauſed them ſo to doe.
If any of you that are held to be of the number of Gods people ſhall object, Obiect. 1 that ſay you can find no ſuch comfortableneſſe in Chriſt, as is ſpoken of here.
I anſwer, Anſw. That ſuch as are held to be of the number of Gods people, are of two ſorts:
1. Some are Chriſtians in ſhew: 2. ſome in deed.
The former are ſuch as have a form of godlineſſe, 1Chriſtiās in ſh…w.and deny the power thereof, loving their pleaſures, ſports, luſts, pride, money, friends, or belly more then God, 2 Tim. 3.4. Now if ſome of you be ſuch, then never complaine or wonder, that you can find no ſuch comfortableneſſe in Chriſt; for you are dead like the widow. 1 Tim. 5.6. which living in pleaſures is dead while ſhe liveth: and as the Rev. 3.1.Angell of the Church of Sardis: So you have a name that you live, being called Profeſſors of the Goſpell, but you are dead. Now though one ſhould even fill the mouth of a dead corps, and cover it all over with roſes; yet can that ſame take no comfort in them, becauſe it ſelfe is void of life; So you, what comfort can you take in Chriſt, the roſe of Sharon, though we doe even fill your eares with the preaching of Chriſt, ſeeing that you be dead and deſtitute of the life of Chriſt; and that Chriſt himſelfe hath ſaid, that whoſoever loveth father and mother more then him, is not worthy of him; and that he that loveth ſonne or daughter more then him, is not worthy of him, Matt. 10.37. Whereupon it followeth, that all you who love worſe things then father and mother, ſonne or daughter, even baſe and filthy luſts, and boſome ſinnes, more then Chriſt, muſt needs be unworthy alſo of Chriſt himſelfe, and ſo conſequently of the comforts of Chriſt, which he never can or will throw away and beſtow on ſuch unworthy hypocrites, and ſelfe-lovers as you are, who have nothing but a meer forme and ſhadow of piety without any ſubſtance or reality; and therefore my adviſe and counſell is, that you do labour for the power and life of godlineſſe, and prefer the love of Chriſt before all things, if you deſire to finde that comfortableneſſe, which is in Chriſt, or elſe never look for it.
2. 2Chriſtiās indeed.As for Chriſtians indeed, they are of 2. ſorts againe: 1. ſome ſomewhat careleſſe, 2. others very carefull.
1. 1 Careleſſe Chriſtians.Some are ſomewhat careleſſe, ſometimes I meane: 1. of their dyet, wherein they doe not keep a golden meane; and 2. of their apparell, wherein they ſhew too much conformity to the monſtrous faſhions of this world; and 3. of their ſleep, wherein they take up too much time; and 4. of their worldly cares, unto which they give too much way; and 5. of their company, which they doe not ſo diſtinguiſh, as to avoid thoſe which are moſt dangerous enemies to their poore foules; and 6. of their duties, which they doe not ſo heedfully performe, as they ought, daily prayer I meane, and holy meditations, and deep humiliations for daily ſins, and continuall applyings of Chriſt, and the like. Such careleſſe Chriſtians were the Corinthians once, 2 Cor. 7.11.as the Apoſtle implyeth, when he ſaith; Behold this ſelfe ſame thing that you ſorrowed after a godly ſort, what carefulneſſe it wrought in you, ſaith he, to ſhew that there was none ſuch in them before, and that they did not grieve ſo before. Now if ſome of you that cannot find ſo much comfortableneſſe in Chriſt, as was ſpoken of here, be ſuch, then never wonder at it: for what comfort can a man take in roſes, if he will not take the paines to fetch them, or to apply them; or if he be aſleep, how can he ſmell them, though his chambers were full of roſes? well may others that wake, be refreſhed with the ſent of them, and take delight in them; but he cannot, ſo long as he ſleepeth: So you that are ſo careleſſe, what comfort can ye take or find in Chriſt, as long as you will not take the paines, to draw what comfort you can from Chriſt in that carefull manner, as you ought? yea, are in a manner aſleep, in that you be ſo drowſie, dead, dull, backward, and careleſſe in the doing of your duties; and doe ſo ſeldome humble and afflict your ſoules for your manifold exorbitancies, ſlips, failings, and grievous ſins. God comforteth thoſe that are caſt downe, ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 7.6. but you are not ſo dejected; *Tamē quod divinas couſolation…s non habemus, aut rarius ſentimus, nos in culpaſum…s; quia cōpunctionē cordis non quaerimus. Tho à Kempis, de Imit. Chriſti, l. 1. c. 21.and therefore, what wonder is it to heare that you are not comforted: So that I for my part doe not intend to caſt away the precious comforts of Chriſt upon you, that are ſo careleſſe, preaching comfort to Gods people; for you are not capable of comfort in this caſe, and we miniſters wrong both our ſelves, and you too, when we doe promiſcuouſly pronounce, and preach comfort to Gods people: For then you careleſſe ones, perſwading your ſelves to be Gods people as you may be, doe ſnatch at ſuch comforts, and apply them, though you doe not feele them, nor indeed are then fit for them; and therefore, I muſt and will diſtinguiſh between you that are careleſſe, and thoſe that are carefull, telling you that you for your part, being ſo ſecure and undejected, you may not, nor muſt not looke for any ſenſible comforts from Jeſus Chriſt, the roſe of Sharon, as long as you are, and ſhall be ſo careleſly diſpoſed.
But ſecondly, 2Carefull ones.as for thoſe that are carefull among us of every thing, and humble themſelves much continually, and are dejected, and yet find or feele no comfort for the preſent, they muſt not therefore be disheartened, becauſe that he which ſhould comfort them, is farre from them as they conceive; for they may take comfort in this, that either,
1. They have in times paſt ſate downe under Chriſts ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit was ſweet to their taſte, that is, that they have taſted of the ſweet comforts of Chriſt, wherewith he is wont to refreſh young beginners, eſpecially in their minority, and in the infancy of their converſion, Cant. 2.3.
2. Or if they have not yet been made partakers of the ſweet conſolations that are in Chriſt, they may comfort themſelves in this, that ſuch comforts belong to them, and that in the *That is, When you ſhall have moſt need of it; either when the ſpirit would taile elſe without it. Eſa. 57.16. Or againſt ſome great affliction approaching, or ſome great encounter with the world for the name of Chriſt. Goodwin in his returne of prayers, p. 152.Lords good time they ſhall feele them, as he who upon a great ſtoppage, not being able to ſmell roſes, may and ſhall ſmell them in time, when that ſtoppage is gone. For ſo it is written, Eſa. 54.6, 7, 8. the Lord hath called thee as a woman forſaken, and grieved in ſpirit; and a wife of youth when thou waſt forſaken, ſaith thy God: for a ſmall moment have I forſaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee; but with everlaſting kindneſſe will I have mercy on thee, ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer: But when it will be, that he tels us not, but keepeth it to himſelfe; and therefore you muſt live by faith, you that complaine of the want of comfort, and ſtay upon God, even in the want of comfort, as a man, who in the want of bodily ſtrength ſtayeth himſelfe upon a ſtaffe; *Eſa 50.10for ſo ſaith God, Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his ſervant, that walketh in darkneſſe, and hath no light, Let him truſt in the name of the Lord, and ſtay upon his God, foreignEſa. 50.10. the *baculus ſic appellatus quod illi ho mo inmtatur.originall is, let him leane upon his God, as upon a ſtaffe, which will be a comfort to him for the preſent, by a gracious ſupportation of him in the want of comfort, and in the end by a moſt ſweet and ſenſible diſtillation of comfort into his ſad and penſive ſoule, as it is written: Thy rod and thy ſtaffe they comfort me, Pſal. 23.4. that is, as *Chryſ. in loc.one of the Ancient expounds that place; thy Chriſt (who is my rod and my ſtaffe, in that he came in the old age of the world) doth comfort me as a ſtaffe, (which is a comfort and ſupporter to old age.) A Note.Where note by the way, that Chriſt is a ſtaffe to comfort old age, that is, ſuch as wait with old Simeon for the conſolation of Iſraell, Luke 2.25. and make not too much haſt to have comfort by and by; and hence it is, that ſome of the moſt eminent Saints of God felt moſt comfort a little before their departure, in the very laſt age and end of their dayes; heare their owne words.
Deare wife, *Foxe in his Acts and Monuments, p. 1361.ſaid M. Sanders, that bleſſed Martyr, riches I have none to leave behind me; but that treaſure of taſting how ſweet Chriſt is to hungry conſciences, whereof I feele a part. I bequeath unto you. I am merry, and I truſt I ſhall be merry, maugre all the devils in hell.
And when *Ier. Burroughes in his Grac. ſpirit, p. 77. alleadgeth this ſpeech.Oecolampadius lay ſick, and his friends did aske him whether the light did not offend him, he clapt his hands on his breaſt, and ſaid, Hic ſat lucis eſt, here is light enough, meaning comfort enough.
So *Edward Bagſhaw, in the life and death of M Bolton, p. 34.bleſſed M. Bolton ſaid to ſome of his pariſh that came to viſit him when he lay a dying: I am by the wonderfull mercies of God as full of comfort as my heart can hold, and feele nothing duplicate page duplicate page in my ſoule but Chriſt, &c.
If you ſhall reply, 2Ob.that you feare you ſhall never feele the like comfort in Chriſt, becauſe theſe men were ſo eminent, and you ſo peſtred with a number of corruptions, which you cannot maſter yet to your content.
I anſwer, Solut.1. That they alſo were ſubject to infirmities as we are; for we may not thinke that they were holier then Elias, who was a man ſubject to like paſſions as we are, Iames 5.17. and therefore why may not you feele ſome true comfort too at laſt, though not ſo much as they.
2. That indeed ſin allowed or too much yeelded unto, keeps off comfort; but you that are carefull Chriſtians (for to ſuch I ſpeake here) doe not ſo.
If you ſay you feare you doe;3Ob. Solut.
I anſwer: doe not you build upon needleſſe and groundleſſe feares, but examine your hearts, and they will tell you, that you doe what you can to purifie your ſelves, and to avoid ſinne, and all the occaſions of it, ſhutting the very windowes on high, you eyes, and ſtopping the fountaines of ſinne below in the heart, by a holy and carefull watching over your owne hearts, thoughts, and motions, even as God himſelfe did then ſtop the fountaines of the deep, and the windowes of heaven, when he would dry up the floud, Gen. 8.3.
And therefore what ſhould let you, why you ſhould not cheare up your hearts with the ſerious conſideration of this moſt comfortable doctrine that I have delivered unto you, touching the moſt ſweet and comfortable roſe of Sharon?
Will you ſay that you meet with ſo many troubles, croſſes, afflictions, 4Ob.reproaches, calamities, loſſes, and the like, that you cannot bee cheerfull?
Then I anſwer, Solut.that all theſe things ſhould not ſhake nor move you ſo as to make you refuſe comfort, and to walke ſadly and dejectedly, to the great diſheartening and diſcouraging of others, and the hurting of your owne ſoules, whom you torture more then needeth by a number of ſelfe created vexations and troubles, which by your penſiveneſſe and heavineſſe you draw upon them: for,
1. All your afflictions of what ſort, 1Ground. Heb. 12.11, 12.kind, or degree ſo ever they be, what are they but purgations to take away ſin? When God opened the windowes of heaven, and powred downe ſeas of water, even immeaſurably and moſt dreadfully, downe went all ſtately towers, and lofty buildings, and ſumptuous monuments; but as the waters roſe, ſo the Arke roſe higher and higher ſtill, and was ſo much nearer heaven: So when God ſendeth flouds, and ſeas of troubles, downe goeth our pride, ſecurity, carnality, impurity, and a number of aſpiring and riſing corruptions; and in ſtead thereof Chriſt riſes, and the poore ſoule riſes, like unto the Arke, ever higher and higher, ſleighting and deſpiſing the world. Like that woman cloathed with the Sun (whereby we may underſtand Chriſt with his croſſe and afflictions, as hot as the Sun) is ſaid to have the Moon, that is, all ſublunary earthly things under her feet, Rev. 12.1.
2. They are but like thoſe charets and waggons, 2Ground.which Ioſeph ſent for Iacob, Gen. 45.27. for as they revived Iacob, and brought him neare unto Ioſeph: ſo do afflictions revive and quicken us, being dead and dull, and bring us nearer unto Chriſt, who is our Ioſeph, then we were before. See 1 Pet. 1.7, 8.
3. As Iacob made his ſonne Ioſeph a coat of divers colours, 3Ground.becauſe he loved him beſt, Gen. 37.3. ſo Chriſt beſtowes ſuch various and ſundry afflictions, like a coat of many colours, upon thoſe whom he loveth beſt. See Rev. 3.19. As many as I love I rebuke and chaſten; and therefore I ſay, they are but ſignes of his deareſt love.
4. But laſt of all, 4Ground.Chriſt himſelf the roſe of Sharon, I dare ſay is more ſweet then all your inward or outward troubles can be bitter, for he is as a ſweet roſe among all ſuch thornes, or thornlike like afflictions; and he ſweetens them, though other roſes cannot ſo ſweeten the thornes among which they grow: even as that Tree did ſweeten the bitter waters of Meriba, which otherwiſe no body could drinke, Exod. 15.25. for he aſſures us, that how ever we ſpeed here and may be entertained in this world, we ſhall rejoyce in him, and live with him in glory at the laſt, as you have heard that he will quicken us as a roſe, and revive us after death, which is more then a roſe can doe: So as that needs we muſt gaine infinitely more by Chriſt then we can poſſibly loſe by him.
And therefore as you take delight in a roſe, though it be among thorns, ſo take comfort and joy in Chriſt, though he be a roſe among thornes, that is, ſurrounded with a number of pricking, piercing, and heart-cutting vexations. If one ſhould rob you of all that you poſſeſſe, and you were made ſure at the ſame time of an orient Jewell in a ſure and a ſafe place, more worth a thouſand times then all that you loſt, I ſuppoſe you would not be ſo fooliſh, as to take on, and to vexe your ſelves about your loſſe; but rather rejoice at ſo rare a Jewell, whoſe prize doth ſo farre ſurmount the worth of all your other goods, which are nothing at all comparable to ſo precious a Jewell▪ And did not I aſſure you but now of Chriſt, the roſe of Sheron, whoſe prize is above rubies and precious ſtones, and whom yee can never loſe againe after ye have made him once your owne? and therefore I hope you will not be ſo fooliſh again hereafter, as to grieve immoderately at any afflictions or loſſes of goods or good name by wrongs or revilings; but rather rejoyce in Chriſt, who being that Mat. 17.45, 46.pearle of ineſtimable prize, is better then a thouſand livings, and ten thouſand earthly contentments, and millions of gold; and ſweeter then all the pleaſures, all the friends, huſbāds, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers ſiſters, &c. in the world, for they are many times rather bitter then ſweet, and doe more grieve then relieve us; but he is ever ſweet, and is ready even then, when they or any other thing doth croſſe us moſt, ſweetly to comfort us, being altogether as ſweet and comfortable as a roſe, nay much more, as hath been largely ſhewed already.