744 g A I N T s COMPARED TO c E D A R s. Book IV. s A I N T s COMPARED TO c E D A R s. He jhalt grow like a Cedar in Lebanon; the 'l'rm of the Lord are full of Sap, !'fa!. xcii. 12. 'l'h• Cedars of Lebanon, which he bath planted, &c. Pfal. civ. 16. And caft forth his Root as Lebanon, Hof. xiv. 5· GOD's People, their Growth and Rooting, are in thefe Scriptures compared to the Cedar-tree, the Cedar in Lebanon, in Greek Libanos, which was a Moun– tain in the North Part of the Land of Canaan, polfelfed of old Time by the Hi·vit", Judg. iii. 3· afterwards by the !fraelites; on it grew many llately Cedars, &c. In what refpeft the Saints may be compared to the Cedar>, will appear by the fol– lowing Parallds. SIMILE. I. THECedar is a very noble and ll:ately Tree, it grows very high ; hence they are called tall Cedars, 2 Kings xix. 23. alfo its Branches are called Branches of the high Cedar, Ezek. xvii. 22. It JnOUnts high towards Heaven. Pliny •, tells of one Cedar that grew in Cyprus, which was one hundred and thirty Feet high, and .three Fathom thick. PARALLEL. I. THE Godly are a renowned People. Though they fee m in the Eyes of the World but meer Shrubs, yet they are, as it was faid of Saul, higher by the Head and Shoulders than all others wl10 dwell upon the Earth. They grow high in Gract , and fpiritual Experience.. They are fa id to dwell on high, they rlwdl in God, in Communion with hi.m, !fa. xxxiii. 10. They foar aloft, and mount towards Heaven, lfa. xl. u/t. Their ./l.Jfeflions dre Jet upon Things above, Col. iii. 1, 2. They may in this Senle be faid to grow like the Cedar; they overtop the Wicked in Renown and Dignity. 'Ihe Righteous are mar. excef/ent than their Neighbors, Prov. xii. 26. II. The Cedar is a Tree thJt II. The Godly are iaid to take Root down- .takes deep Root; its Roots fpread ward; they are well r oted ; they call forth their this Way., and that Way, and go Roor; as the Ce,Jars in I /, r.·o1z. Sain<S are well far into the-Ground. Naturalilts rooted in Chri!1, ruored in tt.c Covenant, which fay, that as Tr.ees grow high, fo is firm, Cirdered in alJ T'hings, and fun:, 2 Sam. proportionably ·they take Root 'l<XIii. 5· well rooted in c;race, in Faith, Lo,·e, .downward, becaufe o.therwife th"Y and Humilrty. And indeed thofe Saints that would be top-heavy, and overgrow high in Knowledge, who in Gifts and Parts turn; a Blall of Wind taking Adover-top their Brethren, had need to grow down– vantage of their Tallnefs, being wards in Humility, proportionable to their Growth .veak at the Hoot, woulo! foon upwatds, or elfe a llrong 131alt of Temptation may blow them down; therefore proporfoon puff them up with Pride and Self.conceited– tionable to their fpreading above, nefs, and fo thereby quite blow them down. In there mull be a rooting in .the Admn we bad no fure Rooting, but in Chrilr, by :Ground. partaking of his Fulnefs, our llanding is firm. Ill. The Cedar is a very llrong lll. The Saints are itrong: in the Lord, Eph. Tree. Naturalrlls alio tell us, .vi. to, 11. It is Sin that caufeth Men to be !pi– that it is not fubje<'l to Putrefaftiritually weak, unfl:able as Water, as Jacob fpake -on, as many other Trees are. of his ~on Reuben; but the Godly are delivered . from the Guilt and Dominion of it, and thereby become llrong in the inward Man, both to do for God, and to fuffcr for his Sake: They go from Strength to Strength in Zio11. David was .too lirong for Goliah, and overcame him, he coming againfl: him in the Name of the Lord. Allo they are not fo eafilv corrupted hy the Pollution of the Sins of the Times, and evil Example of the Wicked, as others are; they having a glorious Principle of Life -in them, that preferves them from Soul·PutrefaCtion. He -that is born of Gad, cannot commit Sin, I John iii. lV. The Cedar is a very profit– .able Tree, it is excellent to build IV. The Saints are fit Trees to build God's fpi– ritual Houfe. The Beams of the Church are faid • P.lin. lib. xvi. p. 490. to
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