Chap. 5. An Expofztion upon tbc Book of J Q B. Verte. 187 res to nothing,yea, theyfhall not be planted, yea they fhall not be Town, yea, their flock, (hall not take root in the earth , And Plat' 129. 6. Let them be as the graft upon the houfè (having no earth to take root in) which withereth afore it groweth up, whereof the mower flleth not bis hand nor he that bindetb up the 'heaves hir ho- forme. Wicked men profpering, are compared to a tree well rooted. I have feen the foolifh taping root ; that is confirmed and fetled in their outward profperity A root is to the tree as a foun- dation is to the houfe, -the etfabliíh`ment of it when a tree is well rooted,it takes in the moiflure of the earth freely, then the body or trunk groNs big, the branches fpread forth, the leaves age green,apd it abounds with fruit. So that with the well rooting we muff take in all that concerns the flourifhing of a tree. Hence, other Scriptures exprefs themen of the world by'trees, not only fecretly taking root in the earth,but putting themfel ves forth and appearing in their vifble beauty and verdure. (Pfilm. 37. 35) David produceth his experience, I have feen the wicked in great power (how ? taking root, yea ? fpreading himfelf like a green bay- tree. They are defcribed by their. boughs, branches and leaves. And in 2. r t, Theday ofthe Lord, Aalt be upon the Cedars of Lebanon, that are high and :lifted np; not only upon the- Cedars -of Lebanon that are deeply rooted, but upon the Cedars of Leba- non that are high and liltedup, and upon all the Oakes ofBafhan In the 14. of verl 5.. The profperous efface of the Church (under the dew and influence of heavenly ble(lìttgs ) is held forth to us under the notion of a tree taking root I will be as the dew to lfrael, be 'hall grow as the Lilly, and cat his roots as Lebanon (that is, as the trees in Lebanon) his branches (hall f read, andhis beauty 'pall be as the Olive tree, andhis fmelt as Lebanon. In the fourth of Daniel, the ffate,glory and magnificence of the Kingdoms of this world are thadowed by a tree . Nebuchad- nezzar in a vifion hath a tree prefented before him, he knew not what to makeof it, and therefore calls for the wife-men to ex- pound the Vilìon , which he thus relates, verf. 4. /Fan, and behold .a tree in the middelt of I:,e earth, the height thereof wasgreat, dyed the tree grew and rwesitrong, and the height thereof reached reni©' heaven, and the fght thereof to the ends of the earth, and the lesvcs there-f were fài .. . When Daniel canes to interpret it, (ver. 22.) he (ayes to the King, Thou art this tree, &c, Nebu- B t. b c;: a-nezza
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