Book H. CHRIST COMPARED To A BUNDLE OF MYRRH. 455 M E TAPHOR. I. l\1YRRH has a perfuming ~ality ; it is ofafragran t and odoriferous Naturo; it is ufed for perfuming Garments, and other Things, to make rhem caft a plea– iimt Smell: All thy ·Garments fmell of A1:yrrh, Aloes, and Cajjia, Pfal. xlv. 9· The Harlot Jays, She .had perfumed her Bed with Myrrh, Aloes, and Cinnamon, Prov. vii. I 7· 11. Myrrh is a rare and rich Per– fume, a fit Prefent for a King ; hence the wife Men of the Eaft honored Chrift with Myrrh at his Birth, Matt. ii. 1 I. Ill. Myrrh hath a preferving ~ality; it keeps Things from Corruption, Putrefying, and Rot– ting. Hence the Friends of Chrift brought Myrrh, Aloes, and other Spices, for the Embalming of his Body after his Crucifixion, John xviii. 39· 40. IV. Myrrh hath a beautifying ~ality. The Virgins that pre– pared themfelves for Ahafuerus, made ufe of Myrrh. It is good to take away the Wrinkles from the Face, and to make the Skin fmooth and fhining. V. Mvrrh, that which is the right and true Arabia Myrrh, is not eafily known by the Vulgar, Pliny notes, Book xii. c. 26. Many cannot difcover it; fame take the falfe Indian Myrrh, that grows upon a thorny Plant, for the ;ight Sort. VI. Myrrh hath a healing ~ality : Phyficians make ufe of it for the removing of feveral Diftem– pers. Pliny, Book xii. fays, it dries up Rheums, clears the Voice,helps the ill Savor of the Breath, & c. PARALLEL. I. JESUS Chrift hath a perfuming Virtue. See how the Church defcribes him for his Fra– grancy: Who is this that cometh out of the Wilder– nefs, like Pillars of Smoke, perfumed with Aflrrh and Frankincenfe, with all the Powders of the Merchant, Cant. iii. 6. We read of the fweet Scent of the Church ; but how comes !he to fmell fo rarely, but from the Communication of the fweet Graces of Chrift to her. Sinners are very unfavory, until this Myrrh-Tree has dropped upon them. II. Chrift is the richeft and pureft perfume Heaven and Earth can afford; none fo fweet. How fragrant is he in the Noftrils of God the Father! He even ravilhes the Senfes of Angels and Saints, makes us, and all our Duties, as fweet Odors unto the Father, Rev. viii. 4, 5· IlL Chrift bath in him a preferving ~ality or Power; were it not for that Life he has com– municated to us, and the reft of Mortals, how foon would our Bodies rot? But in a fpecial manner he preferves our Souls. Sin is of a rot– ting, ftinking, and putrefying Nature, compared to a Leprofy, and filthy Sor_,, Ifa. i. 5, 6. Now if Chrift did not drop daily a little of his Myrrh, I mean, the Grace of his Spirit, into our Souls, how Ioathfome ihould we foon become? IV. Jefus Chrift makes every Believer beauci– >ful; they have no Comelinefs but what he has put upon them. It is he that makes their Faces to ihine, who takes away every Spot and Wrinkle, and prefents them a perfect Beauty in the Father's Sight, by imputing and imparting of Righteouf. nefs unto them through Faith, Ezek. xxvi. 14. Eph. V. 27. V. Chrift, the true Chrift of God, is not eafily known to the Ignorant; many take a falfe Chrill: for the true Chrilt. Some are fo blind, that they think the Light which is in every Man, the Light of natural Confcience, is the Chrift of God, and Savior of the World. VI. Jefus Chrift hath many medicinal Virtues : !Jy his Stripes we are healed, Ifa. liii. 5· He dries up all evil and offenfive Rheums ; makes Prayer, the Breath or Breathings of the Soul, favary; clears the Voice, and helps our Infirmities, by which Means we pray more elegantly and fer– vently, in the Spirit; takes away all Impediments, [o that our Prayers are heard and accepted by the Father. VII. Myrrh was the firft and VII. The Spirit ofChrift, and Graces thereof, princi~al Ingredient of the. holy are compared to Oil, H~b: i. 9: He is the Myr~hanoipnng 01l, that was appomted tree, f~o?l wbence the d1vme Oil flows, wherewith to be made ufe of for the anointthe M1mfters and Samts of God are more or lefs ing ofAaron,* the Tabernacle, and anointed. See Oil of Gladnefs. the Purtenances thereof. • Ai»/rwor/h. le
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