378 CHRIST THE PEARL oF GREAT PRICE. Bookii. METAPHOL PARALLEL was called a Lamb, becaufe the E!1:ate and Inheritance lies in Chrift : But of him Figure of a Lamb was on it. are ye in Chrijt Jefus, who of God is made unto us Abrahmn bought a Field for an Wifdom and Rigkte_oufnefs, &c. _{fa. xlv. 24. Jer. hundred Pieces ofSilveror Lambs. XXIII. 6. and xxxut. 16. Rev. xtx. 8. I Cor. i. 30 . X. The Lamb is a fmall CreaX. Chn!1: made htmfelf of 110 Reputation. In ture to other Bea!1:s, therefore the refpeCl of his Humanity, he is called a Worm, as Hebrews call tHem i11D'I!IP· AbenAnnotators expound that in Pfal. xxii. 6. I am Ezra apud J obum, tenellam Pecua Worm, and no Man, a Reproach of Men, and dem, vel Agnellum interpretatur :* de.JPifed of the People. He was fmall and defptf– A fmall Sort of Cattle, or dimied m the Eyes of the great Heroes of the nutive Lamb. Earth. There are feveral great Difparities between Chrill: and a Lamb, but we fhall pafs by them, and only take notice of two or three I N F E R E N C E ~ I. IF the Lord J efus was fuch an harmlefs, innocent, lilent, and delightful Lamb, how doth this fet out and aggravate the horrid Sin of the Jews, and others, who put him to death ! . I!. And how cloth it magnify the Love and Pity of God to us, that he fhould be pleafed to part with this precious Lamb out of his Bofom, to be made a Sacrifice for our Sins 1 Ill. From hence alfo we may learn how to live in the World, not to be high-minded, and feek great Things for ourfelves, Let the fame Mind be in you, that was alfo in Ghrifl Jefus, &c. Phi/. ii. 5· IV. Let us make him our Example, when under Suffering, and in the Hands of wicked Men, who when he was reviled, reviled not again; let us not feek Revenge, nor render Evil for Evil to any Man, Rom. xii. '9· I Pet. iii. 9· . V. Moreover, let us be contented, as he was, whatever it pleafeth the Father to ex– ercife us with, or in what Pa!1:ure foever he fees good to put us. VI. And lince he fuffered fo willingly for us, let us labor(when called thereunto) to Jay down our Lives for his holy Name-fake. c HR I 8 T THE pEARL OF GREAT pRIcE. And when he had found one Pearl of great Price, he fold all that he had, and bought it, Matt. xiii. 45, 46. MET A PH 0 R. I. pEARLS (as Naturali!1:s tell ust) have a!1:range Birth and Original; it is the wonderful Pro– duction of a Shell-Fifh, congealed into a diaphanous Stone. The Shell, which is called the Mother of Pearl, at a certain time of the Year, opens itfelf, and takes in a certain moill: Dew, as Seed ; after which they grow big, till they bring forth the Pearl. :1: I!. Thofe that would find Pearls, muft fearch curiouOy for them, and relolve to run through many Dangers, among thofe huge and PAR ALL EL. I. THE Original and Birth ofChrift is wonderful; God manife!1:ed in the Flefh is the Admiration of Angels·: A Virgin (the Mother of this Pearl according to the FleOt) being over– fhadowed with the Holy Spirit (which is compared to Dew) conceived, and when her Time was come, travailed, and brought forth Chri!1:, the Pearl of great Price: And the Angelfaid unto her, '!"he Holy Ghojt jhall come 11pon thee, and the Power of the Highejt jhall overjhadow thee, &c. Luke i. 35· Il. Thofe that would find the Pearl of great Price, mull: fearch and feek after him diligently. as for hid Treafure; and muft refolve to pafs through all the Troubles and Difficulties that at- • Leigh Crit. Sacr. Joh xlii. 12. t Pliny, lib. ix. tap, 35• c(flejii ciY/O 4nni wnpr;rt haujlo prr;dul/a, rvtlpr;tius nat«. t Rtperiufltur in concbis marinis, tx rqre tend
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