Bookii. CHRIST u KDER THE snnLITL"DE oF AN APPLE-TREE . 417 MET A P H 0 R. D I S P A R I T Y. IV. An A pple Tree hath no Fruit, Leaves, nor refref11ing Sha– dow on ir, for one great Part of the Year. IV. There is Fruit always to be found on Chrift, and a refrelhing Shadow ; this T ree is ever green and knows no W inter, lieb. xiii. r. A P P L C A T 0 N. I. IS Chrift compared to an /ipple-'l'ree, among the 'l'rees of tbe !Vood: Then from hence we may infer, not only the Exq:llency of the Lord Jdus above others, ·but that Sinners, Strangers, and whoever will, may come to him anJ eat of his Fruit, and lit down under his Shadow; he, the Tree of Life, is not paled, fenced, nor walled in, as fuc h which arc planted in a Garden or Orchard, nor is there an Angel or flam– ing Sword, to keep the \Vay of this Tree of Life; nor is the Fruit of this Tree for– bidden. An Apple-Tree in a Wood is common and free to all, poor Beggars and Strangers may have free Acccfs thither, and who will forbid them? \Vhoever, wili, may come and partake of Chrift's Fruit freely, Jobn vii. 3'!· !I. Ee exhorted then, Sinner, to ha!l:en to the Lord Jefus Chrift, who is the Tree of L ife. 1. Confider the Rarennefs and Ucfruitfulnefs of all other Trees, or Objecl:s of the ·world, that grow in rhe wide vVild•rnefs where you live ; what is all the Fruir of earthly Pleafure, Profits and Honors of this Life, to the Fruit of Je!us Chrift? To P>rdon, Peace of Confcience, Communion wirh God, eternal Life? &c. Let us more particularly confider the Nature of Chrift's Fruit : 2 . It is·exceeding fweet and pleafant to the Tafte, ir will fweeten all your Bitters. 3· Iris fafe Fruit, it will do you good abundantly, and no hurt, nothing is of a furfeiting Nature in it. 4· lr rs fatisfying Fruit, no other Fruit c2.n fatisfy; nor only good for Food, but choice and fatisfying Food ! 5· There is flare of Fruit on this Tree, fee how the Tree hangs! the Roughs there– of are wonderfully loaden, the Plenty is great in this; it is like the Tree fpoken of by Daniel, 'Chap. iv. 2. 6. Its fruit is lovely and delightful to the Eye; do not .the Looks of thefe Apples invire you? 7· Its Fruit is durable, cannot corrupt nor decay. 8. Ir is the Tree of Life. Eat of this huit, a;zd thou jhalt 110t die, but live for e'!Jer : Such are paft J>-om Death umo L ife, and foal/ not come iitto Condemnation, John v. 2. 9· It is Fruit that thofe that eat thereof, !hall be made wife by it. 1 o. Ir yields a fweet Smell, comforting under Fainmefs. 1 1. It is medicinal, the Fruit ot this Tree, will purge out the e';il Venom and horrid Poifon, that came into our N arures by old Ew's eating of the forbidden Fruit contrary to rhe Command of God. 12. Its Shadow is moft excellent for refre01ing, it gives great Confolation; yea, the t?:cateft Confolation to poor fainting, wearied Souls, thlt willingly lit down under this 1 ree. . . (r.) It !'nelters from the fcorching Heat of God's Wrath due for Sin. (2.) It lhe!ters, or is a Covert from the Hurt and Hear of Pcrfecutors or Rage of fuch. (3.) It is a delightful Shadow, refrelhing to the weary Soul, and in a troubkfomc L and a fweet Refting-place. (4.) lt is a Shadow that yields full Content and SarisfaC\ion,-/fat dow;z; in the Text fign ifies, her acquiefcing there, or making her Abode under the fame; fhe de– fires no better nor no other Happinefs, feeks not to Angels, to Saints, nor to her own Works. 1. I fat down with Delight ; now this Delight is neither carnal nor linful, but it is fpiritual. 2. It is great Delight which the Church has, even ravilhing Joy. 3· It is abiding and lafling Delight, increafing it will be more and more ; as it is faid of the Light of the Righteous, it jhines mere and more to the perfefl Day. 4o This Deli<>ht is an Earne!l: of that Delight which the Soul !hall have in Heaven. " . (5.) It is a compleat and perfect Shadow, it anfwers all Needs, a Shadow for the I-Iead,Heart, and every Part, and at all Times. From hence we infer, 50 1. What
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