Book IV. s A I N T s COMPARED TO V E s s E L S. 747 SI M l LE. per bert near Rivers and \ ater– Courfes, contrary to fome other Trees, as the Cyprefs and Chef– nut-Trees, which love not watery Places. I!. Remove aWillow that grows by the Water-fide, and plant it up– on a Heath, and you will foon fee it decay and wither. Ill. The Willow by the Water– Courfes is green, and flourifhes in a Time of Drought, when many other Trees and Plants fade and wither away. PAR ALLEL. is the Influence of the Holy Spirit, which is com– pared to a River, that caufes Believers to fpring up and grow fo fweet!y, Johnvii. 37• 38,. 11. So if a Chriflian be removed from Chrill', or hindered of the f\veet Influences of the Spirit, and divine Ordinances of the Gofpel, which the Faithful enjoy in God's Church, he will foon de– cay and wither in Grace and Holinefs, like a Willow upon a dry Heath, :'fer. xvii. 6. Ill. So the Saints and People of God are in this refpeft like Willows or Trees P•dilter by the Wa– ter-fide: For fo the Prophet plainly affirms : Bleffid is the J11an that trujleth in the Lord, wbofe Hope the Lord is: For he jha/1 be as a Tree planted by the fVaters, and that fpreadeth forth her Roots by the River, andjha/1 not fee when Drought cometb, but ber Leaf jha!/ begreen ; and jha!lnot be careful in the Year of Droug.bt, neither ceafe from yielding Fruif, ]er. xvii. 8. com– pared with Pfal. i. 3· N F E R E N C E S. ]. H ENCE we may learn, that the Holy Spirit in his blelfed Springs of Graces, Promifes, and Ordinances, is every way as needful to the Growth of God's People, as Springs of \Vater are to the Willow-Tree. 11. Let us blefs the Almighty, who hath planted us by the Side of the River of God, and let us pray, that he would never uanfplant us, nor remove us into a barren and he.thy W ildcrncfs. S A I N T S cm! PARED TO V E s s E L s. But we have this Treajure ;, ea;·th0· Veffils, &c. 2 Cor. iv. 7· But in a great Houje are not only Vejjds of Gold and Silver, but of Earth and Wood, &c. 2Cf'int. ii. 20. Some underfland by this great Houje, the vVorld ; others, the Church. METAPHOR. I. A Velfd is made by a lkilful Artizan or Workman; he forms and fafhions it as he fees good. PARALLEL. I. QOD bath formed or made all the Children of Men; they are all the \Nark of his, Hands, formed and fa01ioned by him alone: And as he hath made and formed us in the fir(l Crea– tion; fo alfo he bath made or fa01ioned his Saints in the fecond Creation. This People have I for:ned for myjel(, &c. Ija. xliii. 21. We are his Workma>ifhip, created in Chrifi Jejus to good Works, Epb. ii. 10. 11. There is a great Difference II. So there is a great Drfference between fame between fame Vl'ifel•. There are Men. The Saints are golden Veffds, though of fome Veffils of Gold, Silver, &c. and little efleem in the Eyes of the World : The pre– alfo Jome of Earth, Wood, &c. cious Sons of Zion, comparable to fine Gold, how are they e/feemed as earthen Pitchers? &c. Lam. iv. 2. But the Wicked are likened to Velfds of Earth and Wood. Ul. Vcfiels are made for fome III. God made all Mlin, whofoevcr they are, proper and peculiar Ufe. for fpecial Ufe and Senice, viz. to honor, wor– IV. Velfels are fubjeft to con– traCt Filth and Pollution, and therefore need often to be walhed, &c. lhip, and bring Glori· to his facred Majefty. IV. So Chrifl's fpiritual Veflels, viz. his Saints as well as others, ar,· li1bjeft to contraCt the in: ward Filth of Sin, fuch Uncleannefs as nothina but Chnfl's Blood throllgh Faith can wafh away."' V. So
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