nook II. CHRIST UNDER THE SIMILITUDE OF AN APPLE-TREE. 4 I 5 METAPHOR. one Root puts forth fifty Bulbs or Scallions. • IV. Pliny ·faith, L ib. xxi. c. 5· The Lilly is the ralltfl: of Flowers, yet hangs down its Head. PARALLEL. yea, from this blelfed Lilty many Thoufands of holy and fanctified Chri{bans. See the Me!apbor Vine. IV. Jefus Chrifl: is higher than the mighty Princes, Kings and Emperors of the Earth, higher than Heaven or Angels, and yet humble and lowly in Heart; therefore he is compared to the Lilly of the Valley, in his Exaltations, as God very high; but in his Humiliations, he feems to hang down his Head. V. The Lilly is a Flower that hath many medicinal Virtues ; the difl:ilted Water of a Lilly is good to refl:ore a loft Voice, it helps Fainr– nefs, is good for the Liver, helps the Dropfy; and the Oil of it is good for divers Maladies, fays Galen. V. The great and incomparable Virtue that is in the Lord Jefus Chri!t, is excellently good to cure all the Difeafes and Maladies of the Soul; it cures fpiritual Blindnefs, it foftens an hard Heart, it cures Stubbornnefs and Obftinacy, by his blelfed lnfufion of Grace; in a Word, there is no Malady too hard for this fpiritual Phyfician. See Phyjician and Heart. And for other Properties of the Lilly, fee more where the Church is com– pared to it. For theDifparity, See Raft ofSharon. A P P L I C A T I 0 N. FROM hence we may feafonably learn to be humble, feeing the Lilly which is faid to be of a tall Growth, yet hangeth down its Head. As Chrifl: is humble, fo Ho– linefs and Humility are the glorious Ornaments of a Chrifl:ian. That Chri!l:ian that hath mofl: Holinefs, hath moO: Humility. The Ear of Wheat which is well kerned and fullefl:, hangs down its Head moO:. CHRIST UNDER THE SIMILITUDE OF AN APPLE-TREE. Cant. ii. 3· As the Apple 'I'm amongjf the 'rrm of the Wood, fa is my Beloved amongft the Sons: I fat down under his Shadow with great Delight, and his Fruit was Jweet unto my Tajle. AS Chrifl: fets forth the Praife of his Church in the fecond Verfe, She excelling all the Daughters, as the Lilly did 'l'homs; fo the Church fets forth Chri!l:'s Glory and Praife in this; He, excelling all the Sons, as Jar as the Apple-Tree excells all the Trees of the Wood. S I M I L E. . P A R A L L E L I. THE Apple-'l'ree is very proI. THE Lord Jefus Chrifl: yields his Father fitable to the Owner, as it more Profit, and brings more Glory to is obferved by fame; it far excels him than all the Angels in Heaven, or Saints on other Trees; hence Pliny faith, Earth, do or ever did, and not only brings Glo~ there were many about the City of ry to God, but alfo infinite Profit to all his l'eo– Rome, which were fet at a yearly ple, who are Partakers of his Gra~e, and of the Rent of two thoufand Sejlerces; great Plenty of Fulnefs that dwelleth in him, yielding them more l>rofit and ReJohn i. 14, 16. venue by the Year than a pretty good Farm. I!. The Apple-Tree yields di– verfity of Fruit. It hath (faith Mr. .Ainfworth) more Variety of Fruits than any otner Tree that grows; it is not eafy to reckon up the various Sorrs of Apples. II. Jefus Chrifl excelleth in Variety of precious Graces. What good Thing is it that any true Believer wants, or can want of any fort, but it is to be had in Jefus Chri!l:, whether Grace or Gifts, Things for the Soul, or Things for the Body, whether common or fpecial Mercies? Of his Fulnefs all we have received, Gracefor G1we, John i. 16. ~ Plbzy, Lib. xxi. cap. v. III. J efus
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