390 C H R I S T THE R 0 S E OF S H A R 0 N. Book II. MET A PH 0 R. IV. The Rofe is a ufeful Flower, it is full of Virtue. 1. Rofes diftilled, afford a moft fweet cooling Liquor, good againft. intemperate Heat; it gently quali– fies choleric Exhalations, refrefhes the Spirit when fad, &c. and is good for the Eyes. * 2. Being conferved, and other– wife made ufe of and applied, they are very cordial and medicinal: Their Ufe in Phyfic, faith an emi– nent Writer, "t Words are too few to exprefs. V. The Rofe is called by Natu– ralifts the O!!een of Flowers, none being to be compared to it. PARALLEL. IV. The Lord Jefus is excellent for Profit and fpiritual Virtue. I. Being cr1,1cified for our Sakes, what preci– ous Vmue, whatSoul-molhfymgWater of Life does he yield us ? good againft all choleric Heats and Exhalations of the Heart and Flefh, making the furious and impatient Man, gentle, meek, and humble; refrefhes the Spirit of a Saint, when de– jected, and under Temptations; and is exceeding good to open the Eyes of the U nderftandina. 2. Jefus Chrift, laid hold on by Faith~ and the Virtue of his Blood applied and kept in the Soul, will prove a fovereign Cordial at all Times. The medicinal Properties of this Rofe of Sharon, for the healing the Diftempers of the inward Man, Words (I may well fay) cannot exprefs. V. Jefus Chrift infinitely excels all others, whe– ther Angels or Men ; none are to be compared to him. He is the Head, the Flower, and Glory of Things in Heaven, and of Things on Earth, whe– ther 'I'hrones or Dominions, Principalities or Powers. He is fairer than the Children of Men, the chief eft among ten 'l'holljand, Pfal. xlv. 2. Cant. v. 10. VI. The Rofes that grew in VI. There is nothing eminent and refrefhing in Sharon, were the beft and chiefeft any Creature in a natural Way, but it is fuperemi– of Rafts; they were lingular in nent, and infinitely more in a fpiritual Way in Beauty and Property. Chrift. Chrift is lingular, touching the Unity of the two Natmes in his Perfon, Gngular in his In– carnation, in his Humiliation, in his Conqudt and VII. The Rofe of Sharon ligni– fies in Greek the Flower of the Field, Sharon being a Place or Plain wherein King David's Herds and Cattle were fed, 2 Chron. xxvii. 29" Rofes that grow in a Field, are not planted by Man, and indeed do lie open to Beafts, to be fpoil– ed, plucked to pieces, or trodden down. VIII. The Rofes ofSharon were free; Perlons might have accef.< to them, when they could not to other Flowers that were in clofe and fe– cret Gardens. IX. Rofes and other delightful Flowers of the Field, are the Beau– ty and Glory of the Field, they clothe the Grafs. X. Sharon was a Place (as we faid before) of Pafture, a Place of Feeding, where the Flocks ufed to refl:, a very frUitful Valley. XI. The Rofe yields a very pre– cious Oil, good in divers Cafes. • Hitron. rt'rtzg. lib, de Stirp. Exaltation, &c. VII. Jefus Chrift was not planted by Man, but by the Hand of the Father; and when brought forth into the Field of this World, how open did he lie to evil Beafts, fuch as Herod and the Jews were? How was he plucked to pieces, as it were, and trodden under their Feet ? He was laid open to almoft all manner of Sorrow and Suffering, !fa. liii. 3• 4, 5· VIII. J efus Chrift is free for all poor Sinners, whoever will may come and rake rhe good and gracious Virtue, and Soul-refre01ing Bldlings that are in him, !fa. lv. 1. Re·v. xxii. 17· He is a Fountain opened, Zech. xiii. 1. The Good that is in God is no other wavs communicated to Man· kind, but in and through him. IX. The Son of God is the Beauty and Glory of Mankind, by affuming of our Nature into Union with himfelf. It is he who is the Crown of Mortals, fitting in Glory at the Right-hand of the Maiefty in Heaven. X . thrift is to be found in green Paftures, in his Churches, where his Word is truly preached, and Sacraments are duly adminiftred: He maketh me to lie dow11 in green Paflures, Pfal. xxiii. 2. XI. Jefus Chrift affords a very precious Oil, called the Oil of Gladnefs, which is of a mofi fo– vereign Virtue. See Oil. t Hi:ron. r.Trag. METAPHOR.
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