each PER SON diftintllÿ. 225 rir:ughters : As the appletree among the trees of the wood, fo is my beloved among the fons : In his fhadow I delighted andfate dowü, and his fruit si,asfweet to my tall, &c. In the two firff verfes you have the defcription that Chriftgives, firft of himfelf, then of his church. Of himfelf v. i. that is, what he is to his fpoufe: I am the role of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. The Lord Ca) Chrift isin the fcripture comparedto all things of eminency in the whole creation. He isin the heavens the fun,and the bright morning flar;as the Lyon among the beafts, theLyon of the tribeof Judah. Amongthe flowers ofthe field, he is therófe, and the lily, The two eminencies of flowers, fweet- refsof favour, and beauty ofcontour are divided between thefe. The rofe for fweetnefs,and the lily for beauty (Solomon in all his glory wasnot arrayed as one ofthefe) have the preheminence. Further, he is the rofe of Sharon, a fruitful plain, where the choiceftherds were fed, t Cbr.xxvü. 29. Soeminent that it is promifed to the church, that there (hall be given unto her the (b) excellencyofSharon,Ifa. xxxv. 2. This fruitful placedoubtlefs broughtforth the moft precious rofes. Chrift in the favour of his love, and in his righte- oufnefs (whichh is as the garment wherein Jacob received his ble(hng, giving forth a fmell as the finell of a pleafant field, Gen. xxvii. 27.) is as this excellent rofe, to draw and allure the hearts of his faints unto him. As God fuelled a fweet favour from the blood of his attonement, Heb. v. 2. So from the graces wherewith for them he is anointed, his faints receive a refrefhing cherifhing favour, Cant. i. 2. A fweet favour expref fes that which is acceptable and delightful; Gen. viii. 21. He is alfo the lily of the vallies, that of all flowers is the molieminent in beauty, Mat. vi. 29. Mott definable is he for the comelinefs and perfection of his petition : incomparably fairer than the'children of men, of which after- wards. He then being thus unto them, abundantly fatiating all their fpiritual fenfes, their refrellunent, their ornament, their delight, their glory; in the next verfe he tells us what they are to laina : As the lily among the thorns, fo is my beloved among the daughters. That Chrift and his church are likened unto, and termed the faine thing (as here the lily) is, as from their union by the indwelling of the fainefpirit, fo from that (c) conformity and likenefs that' is between them, and whereunto the faints are appointed. Now the is a lily, very beautiful unto Chrift ; As the lily among the thorns. (r.) By the way of eminency ; as the lily excelleth the thorns, fo dothe faints all others whatever in the eyeof Chrift Let comparifon be made, fo will it be found to be. And (2.) By the way of trial ; the refidue of the world being prickingbriars and grieving thorns to the houfe of :Ifrael, Ezek. xxviii. 24. The bell of them is a briar, and themoft upright of themfbarper than a thorn hedge, Mich. vii. q. And thus are they among the daughters ; even the sooft eminent colleftions of the molt improved profeffors, that are no more but fo. There cannot be in any comparifon a' greater exaltation of the excellen- cy ofany thing. So then is Chrift to them indeed, v, 1. So are they in his efteem, and indeed, V. 2. How he is in their efteeiu and indeed, we have v. 3. As the appletree among the trees of the wood, fe is my beloved among the fons, Ifate dawn under his fhadow with great delight, and his fruit was fweet to my taft. To carry on this entercourfe, the fpoufe begins to fpeak her thoughtsof, and to thew her delight in the Lord Chrift. And as he compares her to the lily among the thorns, fo the him to the appletree (a) Mai. iv. 2. Revel. ail. I. Luke i. 76. iva*azú t ú4a. Num. xxiv. i7. 2 Pet. vi. a9 Revel. xxii. ,6. Gen, xlix 9. Mich. v. t. Revel. y. s. (b) ita. xasiii. 9. chap. Ixv. w. l.) Rom. viii. 29. L 1 l among
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