'"'fnE ' CHURCH co:>IPARED-TO AGAR"D'E'N. lbok-IY. ME TAP HO R. ':.They may feem very green and !flourifhing, when the.re are !Ome devouring Worms gnawing at the Roots, ·hy which means in a little .Time they die, are pulled up, and •call: away. XV. In a Ga,rden, whatloever , choice .Flower the Owner of -it feeth is fully ripe, if he hath a •mind to it, he . crops it off, ar.d , takes· it to hirnfelf. PARALLEL. fome .Plants full of Leaves; but there is lame curled Worm, lome lecret •Lull:, that mars his Root, -and in Time he wi;bers, and dies, and is plucked up, and call: away. .This may be a Cau– tion to all-to take heed . XV. So in the Church, "thofe Flowers or pre– , cious Saints Jefus Chrift feefh are fully ripe for !-leaven, ·he crops off by Death, and taketh them to himfelf. A godly Man dies when he is ready and ripe for Death. When a holy Man dies, faith Mr. Caryl, it is H arveft-Time with him. ' Though-in a natural Capacity, he may be-cut down whiHt he is green, or cropped in , the 'Bud or Blolfom; yet in his fpiritual Capacity he never dies before he is ripe; .God ripens his fpeedily, when he intends to take them out of the World fpeedily. XVI. A Garden flourifheth befi:, XVI. So the Church never thrives, nor flou- ' that hath the fweet, warm, and rifi1eth, but when the Sun of Righteoufnefs ,relplendent Rays of the Sun fhinfhineth in a gracious Manner upon it ; when the ,ing upon it. How fweet Jo the Rain or fpiritual flew defcends, the Somh Wind .Flowers and precious Herbs fmell, of the Spirit bloweth, and the Sun of Righteoul– ·when the Rain diftills, the South nefs fweetly Chineth, what a fragrant Scent cloth Wind blows, and the Swn fweetly the-Church of God, and gracious.-Ones then fend ' breaks tonh '!pan.it•! .forth' ! Hence Chrift callerh for the So.uth Wind to -blow upon his Garden, tbat the Spices thereof may XVII. A Garden is attended with f€veral Seafons, Winter as well as Summer. And tlwugh in the Winter many Flowers feem decayed, and their Glory gone.; •yet a .Winter's fi>arp Fro!is, and ·cold North ,Winds, are as necelfary as the Summer, for the killing of .the Weeds and Vvorms, which <Otherwife would abound. -jlow forth, Cant. iv. 16. XVII. The Church hath its Winter as well as its Spring and Summer- ~eafon ·; nay, and the nipping Frofls, and North Winds of Temptations and AffiiEtions, are as profitable to the Saints, as the Summer of-Comfort, Peace and Profperity; for God feeth Need of rhe one, as well as the orher, to deftroy thofe ·weeds of Corruption, or indwelling 3in, that is in our H~arts. if need be, ye m·e in Heavinefs, through manifold 'l'empwtions, 1 Pet. i. 6. D I S P A R I T Y. 'THERE are divers Dijparities: Chri!l:'s Garden excelleth <ill other Gardens. They are the Plantations of Men ; this is planted by Chrift : Their Fruit is temporal .and fading; this is fpiritual and lafting: They that plant other Gardens, cannot make them grow; but Chrift can. And many others might be minded, which J !here omit. I N F E R E N C ~ ~ J. THIS fl1ews what a vaft Difference there is between the Church, and the ·World. What is a howling and barren Wildernefs, to a choice and lovely Garden? II. Blefs God that this precious Garden is not fpoiled, and irs .Hedge of divine Pro- -vidence nor removed, nor plucked up. . Ill. Let us .pray, though it be lurrounded about at this Day with cruel Enem~e~ ·that it may never be move<l, taken, .and trodden down, by Romifn \<Valves, or other ravenous Beafts of .Pre.y. IV. -Let the Adverfary tremble, ·whole evil Intent is fully difcovered, how they pro– •Ceed in their DeGgns againft God's Church, Chrill:'s fpirin nl Garden, fince it is fa prized ·by him, and his own proper Inheritance, he alone being rbe Proprietor thereof. How ,often doth he fay, My -Gardw, my -Vineyard? lt appears it is his, 1. In that he bought the Ground -with the .Price of his .ptecious Blood., to make a 'Garden of it. .2. ·He hath at his own Charo-e planted and !own it. ~· He keeps ir, and waters it~ and warcheth over it.Night and Day, Ifa. . xxvii. 2, 3• ~ 4· l-t
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