A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 2 · Part 2 · Subpart 46
Christ compared unto a Bundle of Myrrh.
Cant. 1.13.
A Bundle of Myrrh is my Beloved unto me.
THis Book expresses, under many different Metaphors and Similitudes, the Greatness of Christ's Love to his Church, and the Sincerity of the Churches Love to Christ. Sometimes you have Christ commending his Spouse, sometimes the Spouse speaking in the praise of Christ, as she doth here, A Bundle of Myrrh, a Cluster of Camphire, is my Beloved unto me. A Soul espoused to Jesus Christ hath a great Love to him, and an high Esteem of him, knows not how to set out that excellent Worth and Beauty it beholds in him.
Myrrh is a kind of precious Fruit, plentifully growing in Arabia; it is somewhat bitter, but most fragrant, and of excellent use in Physick.
METAPHOR.
I. MYrrh has a perfuming quality; 'tis of a fragrant and odoriferous Nature; 'tis used for perfuming Garments, and other things, to make them cast a pleasant Smell:Psal. 45.9. All thy Garments smell of Myrrh, Aloes, and Cassia. The Harlot says,Prov. 7.17. She had perfumed her Bed with Myrrh, Aloes, and Cinnamon.
II. Myrrh is a rare and rich Perfume, a fit Present for a King; hence the wise Men of the East honoured Christ with Myrrh at his Birth.Mat 2.
III. Myrrh hath a preserving Quality; it keeps things from corruption, putrifying, and rotting. Hence the Friends of Christ brought Myrrh,Joh 19.39, 40. Aloes, and other Spices, for the embalming of his Body after his Crucifixion.
IV. Myrrh hath a beautifying quality. The Virgins that prepared themselves for Ahasuerus, made use of Myrrh. 'Tis good to take away the Wrinkles from the Face, and to make the Skin smooth and shining.
V. Myrrh, that which is the right and true Arabia Myrrh, is not easily known by the Vulgar,Plin. lib. 12. cap. 16. as Pliny notes. Many cannot make Judgment about it; some take the false Indian Myrrh, that grows upon a Thorny Plant, for the right Sort.
VI. Myrrh hath a healing quality: Physicians make use of it for the removing of several Distempers.Plin. lib. 12. Pliny says, it dries up Rheums, clears the Voice, helps the ill Savour of the Breath, &c.
VII. Myrrh was the first and principal Ingredient of the holy anointing Oil, that was appointed to be made use of for the anointing of Aaron, Ainsworththe Tabernacle, and the Pertinents thereof.
'Tis called a Bundle, or (as Ainsworth reads it) a Bag of Myrrh:
1. To denote the Plenty or Fulness of that odoriferous Gum.
2. A Bundle or Bag keeps things safe that are of worth: The Soul of my Lord shall be bound in the Bundle of Life, 1 Sam. 25.29.with Jehovah his God.
Parallel.
I. JEsus Christ hath a perfuming Virtue. See how the Church describes him for his Fragrancy:Cant. 3.6. Who is this that cometh out of the Wilderness, like Pillars of Smoak, perfumed with Myrrh and Frankincense, with all the Powders of the Merchant? We read of the sweet Scent of the Church; but how comes she to smell so rarely, but from the Communication of the sweet Graces of Christ to her. Sinners are very unsavoury, until this Myrrh-Tree has dropp'd upon them.
II. Christ is the richest and purest Perfume Heaven and Earth can afford; none so sweet. How fragrant is he in the Nostrils of God the Father! He even ravishes the Senses of Angels and Saints,Rev. 8.4, 5 makes us, and all our Duties, as sweet Odours unto the Father.
III. Christ hath in him a preserving Quality or Power; were it not for that Life he has communicated to us, and the rest of Mortals, how soon would our Bodies rot? But in a special manner he preserves our Souls. Sin is of a rotting, stinking, and putrifying Nature, compared to a Leprosy, and filthy Sores;Isa. 1.5, 6, 7. now if Christ did not drop daily a little of his Myrrh, I mean, the Grace of his Spirit, into our Souls, how loathsom should we soon become?
IV. Jesus Christ makes every Believer beautiful; they have no Comeliness but what he has put upon them. 'Tis he that makes their Faces to shine,Ezek. …6.14. Eph. 5.27. who takes away every Spot and Wrinkle, and presents them a perfect Beauty in the Father's sight, by imputing and imparting of Righteousness unto them through Faith.
V. Christ, the true Christ of God, is not easily known to the ignorant; many take a false Christ for the true Christ. Some are so blind, that they think the Light which is in every Man, the Light of natural Conscience, is the Christ of God, and Saviour of the World.
VI. Jesus Christ hath many medicinal Virtues; By his Stripes we are healed. Isa. 53.5.He dries up all evil and offensive Rheums; makes Prayer, the Breath or Breathings of the Soul, savoury; clears the …oice, and helps our Infirmities, by which …eans we pray more elegantly and ferven…y, in the Spirit; takes away all Impediments, so that our Prayers are heard and accepted by the Father.
VII. The Spirit of Christ,Joh. 2 20. Heb. 1.9. and Graces thereof, are compared to Oil: He is the Myrrh-Tree, from whence the Divine Oil flows, wherewith the Ministers and Saints of God are more or less anointed.
See Oil of Gladness.
1. In Christ is abundance of Divine Sweetness; not a Sprig or two, but a great Bundle; not two or three Grains, but a Bag filled with it, or a Bundle of heavenly Myrrh.
2. Whatever is good in Christ, is laid up safe. Believers may waste or lose much of the Grace of Christ in them; but none of that which is bound up in this sacred Bundle can be lost.
METAPHOR.
I. MYrrh has some Dregs in it, tho never so purely refined.
II. Other Myrrh may be bought for Money.
III. Other Myrrh will lose its Virtue, if kept over-long.
IV. The Myrrh-Tree doth not always drop;Pliny. this Gum distills but at certain Seasons of the Year.
Disparity.
I. IN Christ is no Dregs, no Sin, nothing but what is invaluably precious.
II. All the Riches of both the Indies can't purchase one drain of this Divine Myrrh.
III. Christ's Virtue is ever the same.Heb. 13.8.
IV. Christ, the spiritual Myrrh-Tree, is always dropping.
Application.
1. CHrist is a precious Jesus, and saving Grace worth the prizing; 'tis like to sweet-smelling Myrrh.
2. What a Mercy is it to have our spiritual Senses so exercised, as to discern between things that differ?
3. What Eyes do they see with, that despise and slight Jesus Christ? This Bundle of Myrrh, this Rose of Sharon, this Lilly of the Vallies, is not so much regarded by the most of Men, as a Bundle of Thorns and Briars.
4. You that love a sweet Smell, here is a precious Perfume for your unsavoury Souls: Notwithstanding all your rare Gums, Odors, and fragrant Flowers, Spices, and choice Powders, you will smell ranck and unsavoury in the Nostrils of God, if you have not this Bundle of Myrrh to perfume your Souls and Services.
5. If Believers receive all their Graces and Sweetness from Christ,Rev. 5.12, 13. let them make grateful Acknowledgments thereof to Him.