Calamus, and Cinamon, with all Trees of Frankincense, Myrrh and Aloes, with the chief Spices. The Church, and faithful Children of God, are unto Christ a sweet Savour. And 'tis said, Noah built an Altar to the Lord, and took of every clean Fowl, and offered Burnt-Offerings on the Altar; and the Lord smelled a sweet Savour. |
II. A Lilly is an exceeding white Flower; nothing more pure, no∣thing whiter, saith the same Author, than a Lilly. |
II. So nothing is more fair and white, or purer in Christ's Sight than the Church. My Ʋndefiled is but one, she is the only one of her Mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. Thou art all fair, my Love, and there is no Spot in thee. Hence said to be cloathed in fine Linnen, clean and white. Christ, her blessed Bridegroom, gave himself for her, that he might sanctify and cleanse her, with the washing of Water, by the Word; that he might present her to himself a glori∣ous Church, not having Spot, or Wrinkle, or any such thing; but that she should be holy, and without Blemish. |
III. The Lilly is a very fruitful Flower; one Root (saith Pliny) often yielding fifty Pods. The Dew of Heaven, the Heat of the Sun, and Fatness of the Soil, make it fruitful. |
III. The Church is fruitful; nothing more fruitful, saith Wendelin: The which being planted in the Field of one Jerusalem, in the Days of old, watered by the Apostolick Men, with the Dew of the Word, and Miracles; the Sun of Righ∣teousness shining upon it, and infusing of his Divine Heat into it. In what part of the World, (in the space of a few Years) hath it not taken Root? In the former Age, after the Roman Winters of the Alpine Snow had for some Ages depressed this Flower, and reduced its Leaves to ad∣mirable Paucity, insomuch that they were scarcely visible to the World, and had cir∣cumscribed its Roots into a narrow Space, how great and swift were the Increasings of it, the Heavens, which before seemed shut, again bedewing of it! Then that Word (saith he) we saw fulfilled, which was promised in Times past to Israel: I will be as the Dew unto Israel, and he shall grow as the Lilly, and cast forth his Roots as Lebanon. His Branches shall spread, and his Beauty shall be as the Olive-Tree, and his Smell as Le∣banon. Germany, England, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, hath, (and what Country of Europe hath not?) within a few Years, seen the Roots and Branches thereof spread, and smelt its Odor. The Popish Waves, Flames and Axes, could neither suffocate, burn, nor cut up the Flower, Leaves, nor Roots of this Lilly. The Shadow of the Highest hath restrained the Flames; his Spirit bound up or constrained the Waves; his Right-hand with-held the Axes, that grinning and grinding Dragon, that the Beast and false Prophet could do nothing, &c. |
IV. The Lilly is a very tall Flow∣er; few Flowers (as Pliny observes) are higher than the Lilly. |
IV. So the Church and People of God are the tallest or highest People in the World, they dwell on high. Christ's Spouse is secure in that most high and Heaven-threatning Rock, Mat. 16.18. not to be overthrown by any of the Enemies battering Rams, nor to be reached by any Power of the Dragon. This is that chosen Generation, royal Priesthood, holy Nation, peculiar People, who are said to dwell on high: And tho they now seem to creep low upon the Ground, and wander as it were in Darkness; yet dwelling in God, they rest secure, &c. and shall in due Time be exalted above the Hills, and the highest Mountains of the Earth. |
V. The Lilly is a Flower most gloriously adorned, and lovely to look upon; so that our Saviour saith, Solomon in all his Glory was not adorned like one of these. It is furnished with beauteous Accom∣plishments; its Form is excellent, with six Leaves curiously set, and
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