Book II. CHRIST THE R 0 SE oF S HA R 0 N. 391 METAPHOR. I. A Rofe is only pleaf:1nt and grateful to the external Senfes. I!. A Rofe can be had but in one Seafon of the Year; you may look for a Rofe in Winter, and find it not. IlL The Role is a very fading Flower; the N aturalifts tell us of fome that feem to wither in their Budding; all their Beauty and fweet Savor palfeth away. IV. A Rofe may be taken, pre– fented, given, and received, by an human Hand. V. One Perfon can but have one and the fame Rofe entirely to himfelf at one and the fame Time. D IS P A R I T Y. I. JESUS Chrift delights and gratifies the fp iri– tual Senfe• of the Soul. I!. J efus Chrift, this Rofe of Sharon, may be had at any Time of the Year, in Winter as well as Summer. The Soul meets with him rather in Adverfuy, than in Profperity. Ill. Jefus Chrift is a Rofe that never fades, he remains in his full Beauty and Glory throughout all Generations, he never lofes his Savor: If he does not fmell fo fweet to our Senfes, it is becaufe our fpiritual Senfes are decayed ; the Caufe lies in us, not in him: Jefus Chrijl, the fame Yejler– day, 'l'o-day, and for Ever, Heb. xiii. 8. IV. J efus Chrift is taken, prefented, and given by a Divine Hand, viz. the Hand of God him– ftlf: God fo loved the World, that be gave his only– begotten Son, &c. John iii. 16. And he is not other– wife received but by Faith, the fpiritual H:md of the Soul. V. J efus Chrift, the Rofe of Sharon, is of fuch a Nature, that Thouf.1nds may have him entirely to thcmfelves, as if bm one only had him, and this at one and the fame Ttme. N F E R E N C E S. J. IF Jefus ChriA: be the Rofe of Sberon, fo fweet and lovely a Flower; let me advife all Ladies, young Virgins and others, who delight in Flowers, above all to get this Rofe; you never found the like in all your L ives; none fo fweet, nor yields fuch a fragrant and odoriferous Smell as Chrift doth: Nay, and more than that, it will be a glorious Ornament unto you, it will make all good and gracious Ones in love with you. z. Moreover, this lhews us, that moft of the Men and Women in the World have loft their Smell, their fpiritual Senfes are gone; they can find no fuch Savor in Reli– gion, no Sweetnefs in a reproached, perfecuted, and crucified Jefus; no Delight in Or– dinances, Prayer, hearing the Word, nor in Sacraments. 3· Labor to be ftored with the Confcrves, and precious Virtues of this Divine Rofe; prize the Diftillation of it. You love to wafh in Rofc-Water, it is very o-rate– ful and pleafing to you ;, come then and wafh in the fweet and fragrant Water ~- the Rofe of Sbaron; let Heart and Hands be wa01ed in it. It will not only cleanfe away the Filth, but will fuppleand heal all the Wounds and Bruifes of your defeated Soul$. If you wafh in the Water of the Spirit, that Aows from a crucified Chrilt, it will make you a fweet Savor in the World, yourConverlations will be of a fragrant Scent. 4· Befides, it lhews how happy they are that have got Jefus Chrift; and what Fools Men of the World are, who flight and dif.efteem him. They prize the Thorn and Briar, the pricking Plcali~res and Profits of the vVorld, above the Rofe, the lovdy R ofe of Sharon. 5· You that are God's Children, that have the fweet Scent of the Rofe of Sbaron, value him above your chiefeft J oy; account him, as indeed he is, the Rofe and Dia– dem of your Souls; bear him not only by an outward Profeltion in your Brealt, but take down the fweet-fmelling Savor of his Grace into your Hearts. You can never ovn– value Chrift. On the R 0 S E of S l-I /1 R 0 N . j F Nature Juch a Magazine difclofes, Of artlefs Beauty in our common Rofes, /Is does the Pencil's Artifice outvy, Commanding Notice from each curious E)'e: Whofe.
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