CHRIST THE LILLY OF THE VALLIES. Book If. we can neither wow, bear Fruit, nor ~and firm in a boifterous and tempeftuous Seafon, nor !uffer for Ius Name; but with hts Help we can do all. IV. It fl1ews, that Chrift is very fenfible of all the Wrongs, Injuries, and Outrages that are done to hrs Sarnts: They that lay hold on, and offer Violence to the Branches, come very near the Tree; fuch touch the Apple of his Eye, Zech. ii. 8. And let Be– lievers be fweetly comforted from hence; that under all their Decays, and want of more Grace, there ts abundance of more Sap and fpiritual Nourifl1ment in the Root and Body. of this ble!fed Vine, which (according to the Nature of the Metaphor) fhall in clue tnne be commumcated to all the Branches, that are truly arafted in him, which fhall revive them, and make them llourilli both with Leaves ;nd Frctit, to the Glory of Gooand their own eternal Happinefs. '!'his humble Plant calls for our Imitation: '!'his noble Plant deferves our Adoration: Its early Fruit provides us early Food; Its Plenty flares us with what's rich and good: Its pleajing Sweetnefs gratifies our 'l'afle; Its Profit fills us without fear of Wafle; Its Shadow jhelters from Extremes of Heat, (Circling the Church) his choicefl Cabinet ; A '!'ender P /ant; How can we then abufe him? An Eye-Salve; healing all the Blind that ufe him. c H R 1 s T THE L I L L y OF THE V A L L I E s. I am the Rofe of Sharon, and the Lilly of the Vallies, Cant. ii. I. MOST Expofitors agree that thefe (fore-going Words) are the.'Vords of our ble!ftd Lord and Savior J efus Chrift: I am the R ofe of Sharon, and the Lilly of the Vallies. Wherein he expre!feth his own Excellencies, to draw, allure and enamour rhe Souls of thofe that love, and long after him : How fitly he may be compared to a Raft we have fhewed in this Book, in fame other Place, to which we refer you. And as there is great and lovely Beauty and Amiablenefs fet forth by a Rofe; fo here, I lliall by his Affiftance, endeavor to fet forth his .delicious ~lalifications, by a Lilly; the Lilly of the "Vallies. METAPHOR. I. A Lilly is a fweet and a fragrant Flower, yea of fuch a ftrong and odoriferous Scent that a Man's Senfes (Naturalills fay) will be eafily over-turned with the fweet Savor thereof. II. A Lilly is white and very beautiful'; within it are fevenGrains or Seeds, of the Colour of Gold, fo amiable that our Savior faith, Solomon in all his Glory •was not adorned like one ofthefe: ForWhite– nefs it exceeds all Flowers. Ill. It is obferved that the Lilly is exceeding fruitful ; Una Radice quinquagenos [<epe emillenle bulbos; PARALLEL. I. THE Lord Jefus Chrift may very fitly be compared to the Lilly, whofc Savor and fpiritual Sweetnefs very much excels and tran– fcends the fweeteft of any Odors that can be mentioned; the Honey and the Honey-Comb are fweet to the Smell, and fweeter to the Tafte : 0 then how fweet is the precious Savor of our ble!fed Savior ! See Rofe of Sharon. II. Whitenefs denotes Holinefs ; it is faid of the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, to her was granted, that jhe jhould be clothed in white, Rev. xix. S. And of thofe few Names in Satdis, which had 1iot defiled their Garments, theft (faith Chrilt) jhall walk with me in white, for they are worth)", R,:-v. iii. 4· Purity is e!fential, originally, prrfectly, and abfo!utely inherent in Chrift; he is Holinefs itfelf, his Glory is infinite, within and without, every way glorious; the Perfection of Beauty. Ill. J efus Chrift is exceeding fruitful, from this Root, (for fo is he called) how many Lillies, or holy, and heavenly Churches, have there fprung? ye•,
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