Keach - Houston-Packer Collection BS537 .K4 1779

Book II. C H R I S T THE R 0 S E OF S HA R 0 N. 389 Ill. It fhews the miferable Condition of thofe that are unacquainted with him; he is the Soul's Friend, and it calls aloud upon them, to be acquainted with him, Job xx1i. 21. IV. Is Chrilt thy Friend? Then here is a fure Ground Of Comfort; you can never want, that have fuch a Friend, fa loving, fo lympathizing, fo necelfary, and fo fuit– able; a prefent, a conftant, a careful Friend·; yea, a Soul-Friend; a wife, a powerful, a faithful, immortal, and everlafting Friend! This is a Friend indeed, an honorable Friend, that is in favor with God, who never had his Suit denied! John xi. 42. V. Is this thy Friend? 0 then, 1. Blefs God, that hath raifed up fuch a Friend for thee, and made thee acquainted with him. 2. Prize and love this Friend dearly. 3· Vifit him often, tell him all the Secrets and Grievances of thy Heart. How fweet is Communion with him! Pfal. cxlii. 2. 4· Be not ungrateful to him, be not like Joajh, who forgat the Kindnefs of his Friend! May it not be juftly faid to fome, Is this thy Kindnefs to thy Friend! 2 Chron. xxiv. 22. 0 it is fad to abufe the Kindnefs of fuch a Friend! 5· Truft your Friend, take him at his word, queftion him not, he is faithful. 6. Have no commerce with his Enemies, but keep clofe and faithful to him in every Condition. Abitophel dealt treacherouily with David, do thou not fa with Chrift. 7· Publilh and declare what a Friend thou haft, endeavor to get Sinners acquainted with him. 8. lle fure let nothing part thy Friend and thee: Prize his Prefence, dread his Frowns, follow his Doctrine and Examples, that it inay be known thac Chrift is yours, and you are his. Let your Light fo Jhine before Men, that they may fee your good Works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven, Matt. v. 16. Chrift is the only Friend. A true Friend is tried in a doubtful Matter. Chrift hath laid down his Life for Believers; what is more difficult to Nature than Death? c H R I s T THE R 0 SE OF S HA R 0 N. I am the Raft of Sharon, Cant. ii. r. JT is Chrift that fpeaks thefe Words, it becomes not the Spoufe thus to commend her– fdf; faith Solomon, Let another, and not thine own Lips praife thee, Prov. xxvii. 2. The Lord Jefus elegantly exprelfeth his own Excellency, by comparing himfelf unto a Rofe, the Rofe of Sharon. MET A PH 0 R. I. A Rofe is the Off-fpring and Fruit of a good, though feemingly dry Root. II. A Rofe is a beautiful Flower, very pleafant and delightful to the Eye, of different Colors, red and white, and in fame curiouOy join– ed and intermixed rogether, red and white; !hews an- excelknt Complexion, and makes up a per– fect Beauty. PAR ALL EL. I. CHRIST, touching his human Nature, is the Qff.fpring of David, or a Branch out of the Stem and Root of Jelfe, Ifa. xi. J, II. Chrifl: is fa id to be white and ruddy, Cant. v. 10. Some underlland thereby his two Natures, by the White his Divinity, by the Red his Huma– nity: The one denotes his natural Purity and ln– no~ency; the other, his bloody Agony and Suf– fenng for our fakes; hence faid to be red in his Apparel, !fa. lxiii. 2. No Object fo delightful to the Eye, as Jefus Chrift is in his Humiliation, cru– cified for our Sins; in his Exaltation, appearing at the Father's Right-hand for us. True and evangelical Sights of Chrifl: delight the Eye, and ravifh the Soul of a Believer. Chrifl: is a perfect and campleat Beaucy. III. A Rofe is a fragrant and Ill. Jefus Chrift yields a moft fragrant and fweet Flower, it yields a moft exlovely Saver. * What is fo fweet and refrefhing cellent and odoriferous Scent. This to the fpiritllal Senfes of the Soul, as the Merits may not hold true of every Sort of and faving Graces of Chrilt? His very Name is Rofes, but it is fuch an one Chrift as preciousOintment poured forth, Cant. i. 3· He is compares himfelf unto. the Savor of Life unto Life to them lhal be!iew. • Set Precious Ointment. 5 G IV. The

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