Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
CANT. 2. 3. At the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood, ſo is my Beloved among the Sons: I ſat down under His Shadow with great delight, and His Fruit was ſweet to my Taſte.
I Have made entrance the laſt day: Here is a double compariſon, the Sons of men are compared to the Trees of the Wood; The Son of God is compared to the Apple-tree among thoſe Trees.
I ſhall add a fifth particular wherein the reſemblance holds.
5. Chriſt here is ſet forth as the Apple-tree: It ſeems to relate to the fruit of that Tree that Man did eat in Paradiſe, which in all probability was a kind of Apples: And herein we call to mind how man loſt his happineſs, where it was that man undid himſelf, how ſin came into the World by eating of the forbidden fruit; as alſo it holds forth that Chriſt hath taken away that Curſe all the bitterneſs and wrath for his people, which was the fruit of Adams tranſgreſſion. There was man undone at firſt, under the Apple-tree, there he loſt himſelf, and God, and Happineſs: And therefore Chriſt will be an Apple-tree as ſhall bring forth better Fruit, the Fruits of Peace, Joy, Life and Salvation for his people: See what is ſaid, Cant. 8. 5. Who is this that cometh up from the Wilderneſs leaning upon her Beloved? I raiſed thee up under the Apple-tree: There thy Mother brought thee forth, there ſhe brought forth that bare thee. Some make it to be the words of the Spouſe to Chriſt, I raiſed thee up under the Apple-tree; She looks up to Chriſt, and ſaith, Lord I took hold of thy Boughs, I took hold of thy Covenant, I took hold of thy Promiſe by Faith and Prayer, there I raiſed thee up: He roſe up to be a help and deliverer of his people. But others make them to be the Words of Chriſt▪ Chriſt ſpeaks unto his Spouſe▪ Ʋnder the Apple-tree there I raiſed thee up. It ſhould ſeem to have a reference to the Tree which was the Occaſion of Mans fall▪ Thou loſt thy ſelf under the Apple-tree, there was thy fall; there did the Devil thruſt down Man, Adam, and all his poſterity. Well ſays Chriſt, I'le be an Apple-tree, and under this Apple-tree i'le raiſe thee up again: under this Apple-tree thou ſhalt be comforted, thou ſhalt be ſaved, i'le raiſe thee up again. The Lord Jeſus he came to undo the works of Satan, becauſe Satan had undone the Works of his Father, and ſpoiled the whole creation with ſin; and therefore thus will Chriſt be avenged of him: Chriſt will be ſuch an Apple-tree, that will bring forth that fruit which ſhall be the deſtruction of Satan; the deſtruction of Death and Hell, which were brought into the World by the diſobedience of Man under the Tree. So then I ſay this may be held forth,
1. Firſt, That the Lord would have his people remember what they loſt in Adam by their diſobedience, and then the Lord would have them remember the Lord Jeſus, he hath taken away all that curſe, and all that wrath which was the deſert of mans diſobedience; ſo that it ſhall not be poured upon believers. And ſo much for the compariſon betwixt Chriſt and the Apple-tree.
2. It's ſaid further, That he is as the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood. The next work then is to enquire after that compariſon; Why is Chriſt ſaid to be the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood? Why not among the Trees of the Garden? There is much in this compariſon; receive it with Attention, for I ſhall be but ſhort in this work.
1. Firſt of all, It holds forth, That the Lord Jeſus took the ſame Nature that we have, he became man; he took upon him the Nature of man. It's true, he was not a wild Tree, but he was a Tree as well as the reſt of the Trees in the Wood; he was of the ſame Subſtance with them; he had the ſame Body, the ſame Bark, the ſame Rind, the ſame out-ſide, that other Trees had; he was in all things made like unto us, we read in Heb. 2. 14, 17. For as much then as the Children are partakers of Fleſh and Blood, he alſo himſelf likewiſe took part of the ſame, that though death he might deſtroy him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil; wherefore in all things, it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high Prieſt in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the ſins of the People, &c. It was needful that he ſhould be made partaker of Fleſh and Blood, there was a Neceſſity of it. For firſt of all,
1. The Lord Jeſus was that ſtock or that root, upon which God the Father had determined to graft all the Sons and Daughters of men, that he had appointed to be Trees of Righteouſneſ… in his Paradiſe. I ſay all that were to be made Trees of Righteouſneſs, were to be engrafted into that ſtock, and therefore there was a neceſſity that the ſtock ſhould be like unto the Cyons, it was neceſſary that the branch and the root ſhould be of one nature.
Again, The Lord Jeſus was to fill all his Branches with Life and Spirit, the Sap and Juice muſt run from the root to the Branches, and therefore it was neceſſary they ſhould be Homogeneal, of one Nature; that they ſhould be incorporated, and made one, that ſo Chriſt might fill our Nature, that humane Nature which he took into the ſecond perſon, with all the fulneſs of God, and from that, and through that, fill all his Members. That's the Firſt, That Chriſt is compared to an Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood.
2. But again Secondly, This compariſon does hold forth the unſpotted Nature, and that holineſs which was in Jeſus Chriſt; It holds it forth in the excellency of it: He was an Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood: He was not a wild Tree as they were, though he grew amongſt the wild Trees; though he grew in the World, yet he did not partake of the ſin of the World; there was no corruption in him, he brought forth no wild fruit: And herein is the excellency of Chriſt held forth. To ſee an Appletree, a ſweet Apple in the midſt of an Orchard, is no great wonder; but to find an Apple-tree laden with goodly and pleaſant fruit, where there is nothing but a Wood and a Foreſt, and wild Trees, and Bryars, and Thorns, and Brambles round about, this is a wonder; and even thus was the Lord Jeſus, the Trees round about him were wild Trees; they are all gone out of the way (it's ſpoken of the wild Trees) and become altogether unprofitable, there is none that doth good no not one. This is the natural Eſtate of all men; and that Chriſt ſhould be planted in the midſt of theſe, and yet be an Apple-tree, and bring forth ſweet and bleſſed fruit, this was his great commendation; and the Spouſe does here admire him for it. Before he was admiring the Spouſe, as a Lily among Thorns, the tender Lily among the Thorns; and here the Spouſe doth admire that the Lord Jeſus ſhould be a green Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood: That none of the corruption of mans Nature ſhould cleave unto him, that he ſhould bring forth nothing but pleaſant fruit; he was the Lamb of God without ſpot, and there was no guile found in his mouth: Here is the great Commendation of Chriſt; ſtill a pleaſant Apple-tree, though in the midſt of the▪ Trees of the Wood.
3. Again, Thirdly, The compariſon holds forth the High and Honourable eſteem that the Spouſe had of Chriſt, As the Apple-tree amongſt the Trees of the Wood; as the Apple-tree is to be preferred before the Trees of the Wood, ſo is my Beloved to be preferred before all the Sons of men: He had preferred the Spouſe as much as the Lily is to be preferred before the Thorns: And here ſhe returns his love back again, ſaith ſhe, He is to be preferred before the Sons of men; as the Apple-tree is to be preferred before and beyond the Trees of the Wood. What ſaith the Apoſtle in Phil. 3. ſpeaking of all things in compariſon of Chriſt to be but Dung and Droſs: Yea verily, ſaith he, I count all things but Droſs and Dung in compariſon of Chriſt; how precious is Chriſt to a gracious ſoul▪ all is but Droſs and Dung in compariſon of him; to you that believe, (ſaith the Apoſtle Peter) he is precious; you that have taſted of the comforts of this Tree, you'l ſay, Oh Lord, give me evermore to eat of this Tree: That's a third particular wherein the compariſon holds.
4. Fourthly, It holds forth that mean and low Eſtimation that the men in the world have of Chriſt. They look upon him as a Common tree; he is among the trees in the wood; and he is of no better account than the trees of the wood, Cant. 5. 9. what is thy beloved (ſay they) more than anothers beloved▪ They could not believe, that there ſhould be any thing of worth more in Chriſt than was in other perſons and other things; what is thy beloved? they could not believe that he was any more than another tree, becauſe he grew among them; and truly it's becauſe men know not the worth of Chriſt and have no Eſteem of him; they have not taſted and ſeen how good and gracious the Lord is, and therefore they have no high account of the precious fruit that growes on this tree. The carnal heart cloſeth with the world and cloſeth with his luſts; they are his Dalilahs, his Beloved: and when he looks upon a child of God, ſees a gracious heart go lamenting after Chriſt; another that hath found Chriſt rejoyces in him▪ and ſolaceth himſelf in the fruit of this tree; Why, this is the wonder unto a carnal heart; why? What's thy Beloved more than my Beloved? what do you find more in Chriſt, than I find in the world, than I find in my luſts? Oh it's a dreadful deceit of a mans heart. Can a man gather grapes of thorns, and figs of thiſtles? Is it poſſible that the wild tree can bring forth as good fruit as the Apple-tree? No, it's the ignorance of men that they know not Chriſt; that Chriſt is not precious to them. But again,
5. Fifthly, This compariſon holds forth the great ſufferings of Chriſt: he is ſaid to be the Apple-tree in the foreſt, or in the wood; becauſe of the ſufferings that Chriſt was expoſed to when he was on earth. You know the trees in the foreſt, they ly open to the Storms, there's no fence about them, they lye open to the teeth and horns of the wild beaſts; and thus did Chriſt ſuffer when he was upon earth: he laid open to moſt grievous Storms, to blow upon him: the very wrath of God his Father went over his head; it blow exceeding ſore upon him, that it even brake his tree to pieces. It pleaſed the Father to bruiſe him, Iſaiah 53. 10. It pleaſed the father to bruiſe him and to put him to grief▪ yea it pleaſed the father to break him in pieces. Moreover he met with a world of ſufferings from men: Oh how was he perſecuted from firſt to laſt? How many Pſalms are there in which David doth complain in the perſon of Chriſt? He complains of the wild beaſts in the foreſt, the Dogs, the Lyons, the Unicorns, and the wild Buls of Baſhan incompaſſed him round about, Pſalm 22. 20, 21. Deliver my ſoul from the ſword: my darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the Lyons mouth: for thou haſt heard me from the horns of the unicorns. And in divers other Pſalms which he made of Chriſt, and in divers other reſpects, Chriſt is compared to a tree, a tree of the foreſt. Again,
6. Sixthly, He is a tree in the foreſt, an Apple-tree in the foreſt, for that unexpected comfort and relief that the Lord Jeſus doth afford for poor ſouls: unexpected comfort and relief; when a man hath been travelling all the day long in a foreſt or wood, hungry and dry and thirſty, he caſts his eye upon a well laden Appletree full of goodly fruit, Oh how welcome is it, and ſo much the more welcome, becauſe he did not expect to find ſuch a tree there: and ſo it is with poor creatures: how many are there wandering up and down in the world, hungry and thirſty and ready to faint, then doth Chriſt ſtep in ſeaſonably, then doth Chriſt preſent himſelf unto poor ſouls as an Apple-tree laden with delighful fruit; he ſayes, Poor ſoul, thou ſhalt not famiſh, I will not ſuffer thee to famiſh; come take and eat of my fruit, and let thy ſoul for ever be ſatisfied in me. Now the unexpectedneſs of the mercy doth heighten the mercy. I had thought I ſhould never have ſeen thy face, ſays Jacob to Joſeph, and now God hath ſhewed it to me. Surely. Hagar was mightily taken with that fountain or well that was ſhewen to her in the wilderneſs, when ſhe was ready to periſh, when ſhe had given over her child for loſt, and there was no water to give; then for the well to be ſhewen her, ſurely this was a very welcome thing to her: and ſo when the ſoul is ready to faint, how often doth Chriſt preſent himſelf, as a well in the wilderneſs, and as an Apple-tree in the midſt of the wood or foreſt; and how pleaſant and comfortable is that? But again,
7. Seventhly, In the next place, He is ſaid to be an Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood, becauſe of the freeneſs of Chriſt: it holds forth much of the freeneſs of Chriſt in beſtowing of himſelf upon poor creatures; an Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood, that's free for every man, for every man to take of, and eat of: If an Apple-tree be in a garden or an Orchard, a man may ſee it a great way off, and can't taſte of it; he may deſire it, and his ſtomach may be for it, but he deſpairs of it, becauſe it's none of his: but an Apple-tree in a wood, that's free for all, for all that paſs by; there's none excluded; but he that wants may go and take and eat of the fruit of it. It holds forth much of the fruit of Chriſts love, he is not only an Apple-tree in the wood, but he is an Apple-tree in the foreſt: and therefore thoſe tenders of grace that are held forth, Iſaiah 55. 1, 2, 3. See there what invitation is made; Ho every one that thirſteth come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money, and without price, &c. yea though a man has no money, yet he may come and drink of this water, and eat of the fruit of this Tree. That's a ſeventh particular.
8. Eightly▪ But again, in the Eighth place, Chriſt is ſaid to be a Tree among the Trees of the wood, Becauſe there are very few that go forth to ſeek Chriſt, and few there are that find him, and ſeed upon him by faith. An Apple-tree that is in the midſt of the foreſt, how few are there that feed on that Tree? It may be God by a ſpecial providence directs a poor, weary, hungry traveller, a weary man to that Tree; but how few are there that go to ſeek it! Men that have an Orchard at home, will hardly go to the wood. Men that have Orchards of their own, Trees growing at home, they will not go abroad: they which were invited to the feaſt, you know they would not come, they had enough, they had no need of Chriſt as they thought; and therefore they would take no pains. The Lord by his ſpecial grace muſt direct the poor ſoul to Chriſt, or elſe it's impoſſible they ſhould come to him: indeed men will not come to Chriſt; ye will not come to me, ſayes Chriſt, that I may give you life. In all theſe reſpects Chriſt is ſaid here to be an Apple-tree, among the Trees of the wood: And therefore to conclude with one word of Application▪
Ʋſe. This lets us ſee the uſefulneſs and deſirableneſs of Jeſus Chriſt: What's more uſeful and deſirable in your Orchard, than the Apple-tree? If a man hath never ſo many Trees in his Orchard, he never thinks his Orchard compleat, except he hath ſome Apple-trees. Oh that the Lord would perſwade your hearts, to look unto the Apple-tree, look to get the Apple-tree into your Orchard; get Chriſt into your hearts. Oh he is an uſeful and deſirable Tree. Let me tell you the benefit of it in a word or two.
It will be a comfortable ſhelter to you. The Appletree that is Planted in your Orchard, it will keep off a ſtorm from your houſe. Chriſt in the heart is a comfortable ſhelter to the poor ſoul. Oh how many a ſtorm of wrath and indignation, which blowes from Heaven, and Chriſt keeps it off from the poor Soul!
Nay again, Let me tell you that this Apple-tree it's a Tree of Life; and therefore worth the ſeeking after, that you may get him planted in your garden. I ſay it's a Tree of Life, whoſoever eats of this Tree lives for ever. Your fathers they did eat Manna in the wilderneſs, ſayes Chriſt, and they are dead, John 6. 58. but he that eats of the bread that I ſhall give him, ſhall never die, ſayes he, he ſhall live for ever: it muſt needs be ſo, for Chriſt he is a Tree of Life.
Again, He is not only a Tree of Life, but he is a Tree of knowledge: and therefore worth the ſeeking aften. You read in Geneſis 3. of the Tree of knowledge that was in the midſt of the garden, which the woman lookt upon: and it was very deſirable for three things▪ 6. verſ. The woman ſaw, that the Tree was good for food, and that it was pleaſant to the eye, and a Tree to be deſired to make one wiſe; ſhe took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave alſo to her husband. Truly all this is to be found in Chriſt; he is good for food ye heard before, they that eat of him, ſhall live for ever. He is pleaſant to the eye▪ Oh how beautiful is he in his Nature, and in his perſon! thou art fairer than the Children of men: and he is deſirable to make one wiſe; he that feeds upon Chriſt is made wiſe indeed; he that knows Chriſt, is the wiſeſt man in the world; it's Chriſt that opens the eye: the eating of Chriſt, this Tree, opens the eyes and makes men wiſe, wiſe to ſalvation, wiſe to know and underſtand the great myſteries of God in Chriſt, even thoſe myſteries hid from ages and generations. Again, I might tell you, This Tree, it brings forth fruit at all times, and therefore deſirable; the Apple-trees in your gardens and Orchards, they wo'nt bring forth fruit in winter; but this Apple-tree, Chriſt, every Month in the year, every Summer and winter, every day of the Month: look upon Chriſt with an eye of Faith, and you ſhall find him full laden with fruit. Oh how uſeful a tree is Chriſt! Again.
I might tell you alſo, here you might have a ſtaff to lean on, upon this Tree you might have a ſtaff to lean on▪ I am thy God to old age. The waters that the Children of Iſrael drank of, were bitter till ſuch time as Moſes cut down boughs, and they made the waters ſweet; ſuch boughs grow upon this Apple-tree; it will make your bitter waters ſweet. Oh there is love in Chriſt, there is goodneſs in Chriſt, and precious Promiſes, which if caſt into thoſe bitter waters, afflictions, the ſorest bittereſt afflictions, theſe boughs will make them ſweet. Get into this Apple-tree. Why do you endeavour to get Bryars and Thorns, and Oaks and wild Trees and Crab-trees, and in the mean time neglect this Apple-tree? there is a Curſe upon the ground and on every ſoul, even the curſe of the ground, thorns and thiſtles, and theſe here will grow, till ſuch time as Chriſt be planted: Nay, if Chriſt be not planted in the garden, God the Father can't walk there; If the Tree of Life be not there, if the Tree of Knowledge be not there. God takes no delight to walk in the garden. The ſoul out of Chriſt, where Chriſt is not planted, that ſoul can have no gracious and ſweet communion with him? Well then,
What an Invitation is here for poor ſouls to come in to Chriſt? Chriſt is the Apple-tree, an Apple-tree in the midſt of the trees of the wood: Oh! why will men reject Chriſt? Poor ſinners, why are you fearful through unbelief, to come to Chriſt? If Chriſt were a bryar or thorn or thiſtle, you might be afraid of him; but he is as the Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood; he is laden with fruitful branches; if Chriſt were a Tree hemmed in, walled in, you might deſpair of having any fruit, but he is open to you: whoever thirſts let him come, who ever hungers let him come, take and eat of this fruit. Poor ſouls you have the leave of God, nay, you have not only leave, but you have command to come and eat of this Tree of life: it's the commandment, that you come and believe in Jeſus Chriſt. Oh what ſtragling and perverſe hearts lodge in our boſoms! There was a time when God ſaid of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, Thou ſhalt not eat of it, and then man would eat; and now the Lord hath ſet up another tree of life, and the Lord ſayes, Thou ſhall eat of this tree of Life, and now they will not, though the eating then, and the not eating now is like to coſt many thouſand ſouls lives. The Lord help you to conſider of it!