Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 8 · Part 14
Saints compared to Palm-Trees.
Pſal. 92.12. The Righteous ſhall flouriſh like a Palm-Tree, &c.
Cant. 7.7. This thy Stature is like a Palm-Tree, &c.
Verſe 8. I ſaid, I will go up to the Palm-Tree, &c.
THe Palm-Tree and Date-Tree is one and the ſame Tree, called in Hebrew Thamar, in Greek Phenix.
Why the Saints and People of God are compared to the Palm-Tree, will appear in the following Parallel.
| Metaphor. | Parallel. |
| THe Palm-Tree is an excellent Tree, amiable to look upon; it is very tall, and all its Branches ſhoot upwards; there are none grow out of the Side, as in other Trees. | THe Righteous, who are compared to a Palm-Tree, are a choice and excellent People; their Affections, like Branches, aſcend, they are ſet upon Things above; they grow Heavenward.Col. 3 1.2. They do not ſhoot out their Branches (as I may ſay) this way, and that way, to the World; they grow high in Grace, and in Communion with God. |
| II. The Palm-Tree grows in the pureſt Soil, it will not grow in filthy Places, it loves to ſpread forth its Roots by a River; it loves not dungy Soil, as other Trees do. | II. The Righteous flouriſh beſt in a pure Soil, in a Land where the Goſpel is preached in its purity. They are planted in a choice Garden, Chriſt's bleſſed Vineyard, in the Courts of the Lord's Houſe, as it follows in the Pſalm.Pſal. 92.13, 14. 1 Joh. 5.19. They are tranſplanted out of, and love not the polluted and idolatrous World, that lies in Wickedneſs, which ſmells like a Dunghill, but in the Garden of God. |
| III. The Palm is an even and very ſtrait Tree, and grows upright. Hence 'tis ſaid of Idols, that they are upright like the Palm-Tree. | III. The Saints of God are a People ſincere, of an upright Heart, and of an upright Converſation: for tho naturally they are rough, knotty, and crooked, like others; yet Grace works out, or cuts off that Crookedneſs, Uncomelineſs, or Unevenneſs that naturally was in them. |
| IV. The Palm-Tree, when young, is a very weak Plant; it is ſo feeble, that it can hardly ſtand of it ſelf. And therefore Pliny ſays, they uſually plant three or four of them together, and by that means they ſtrengthen one another, and ſtand the faſter. | IV. The Saints of God, when firſt converted, are uſually weak and feeble, and hardly able to ſtand of themſelves, without the help and ſupport of their Brethren; but when planted together in God's Vineyard, they thrive greatly, confirming and ſtrengthning one another, which ſhews the Excellency of Chriſtian Communion and Fellowſhip.Iſa. 35.3. Strengthen ye the weak Hands, and confirm the feeble Knees. — Support the Weak. |
| V. The Palm-Trees (Naturaliſts tell us) by growing together, do join, claſp, and grow one to the other, and by that means grow very ſtrong, and flouriſh exceedingly. | V. The Saints and People of God, by being planted together in Goſpel-Fellowſhip and Communion, do (or ought ſo to) join, claſp, and cleave in Love and Affection one to another, as to become as it were all but one Tree; and hereby they are made very ſtrong, and flouriſh exceedingly. |
| VI. The Palm-Tree is one of thoſe Trees that are always green, green in Winter, as well as in Summer; it doth not caſt its Leaves, nor fade, as the expreſſion in Pſal. 1.3. | VI. The Godly are compared to Trees that are always green. Greenneſs is cauſed from the abundance of Sap that flows from the Root.Luk 23.31. Chriſt is called a green Tree. Greenneſs, as applied to the Godly, notes their abounding in inward Grace and Holineſs from the Root Chriſt. Pſal. 52.14. I am (ſaith David) as a green Olive-Tree in the Houſe of the Lord. Saints are ſaid to be fed in green Paſtures, that is, ſuch Paſtures as afford precious and pleaſant Food, as alſo Plenty. Sincere Chriſtians continually abide green and flouriſhing; they are like Trees planted by the River-ſide, that bring forth Fruit in their Seaſon; their Leaf ſhall not wither. They hold up their Profeſſion, not only in the Summer of Proſperity; but in the very Winter of Adverſity, and maintain their Vertue and Beauty in the hardeſt Time.Pſal. 92.14 They ſhall (ſaith David) ſtill bring Fruit in old Age, they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing. |
| VII. The Palm-Tree doth not only keep up its Greenneſs, and the Beauty of its Leaves, but it is a Tree that is full of Fruit, and that good Fruit, pleaſant Fruit, ſweet Fruit, Fruit that is excellent Cordial, which you know Dates are. Surely, ſaith Pliny, new Dates, as they come from the Tree, are ſo exceeding pleaſant and delicious, that a Man can hardly forbear, and make an end in good time. | VII. The Righteous are a People that have not only the Greenneſs of Profeſſion, and the Greenneſs of Grace, and inward Vertue in their Hearts, but alſo the Fruit of a good Life. Their Converſation is full of good Fruit; the Fruit of Righteouſneſs is pleaſant Fruit, choice and precious Fruit; no Fruit is like the Fruit of the Spirit, which is Love, Joy, Peace, Gal 5.22. Long-ſuffering, Gentleneſs, Goodneſs, Faith, &c. Saints are very fruitful Trees; they may fitly in this reſpect be compared to the Palm-Tree. |
| VIII. The Palm-Tree will thrive under heavy Preſſures or Weights that are hanged upon it. The Palm-Tree, ſaith Mr. Caryl, doth grow up, when it is moſt preſt down. When there are the heavieſt Weights hung upon it, then it grows higheſt; when it is (as it were) kept down, the Burthens that are upon it cannot make it bow, nor grow crooked. This Tree, ſaith Ainſworth, tho preſſed, yet it endureth and proſpereth. It is a Tree of an excellent Nature. | VIII.Pſ…l 92.12 Thus the Righteous flouriſh like the Palm-Tree, they grow and encreaſe in Grace and Holineſs, tho under great Burthens and Preſſures. The Devil ſtrives to preſs them down, Sin endeavours to preſs them down, wicked Men endeavour to preſs them down, and yet they thrive and grow exceedingly: The Righteous ſhall hold on his Way, and he that hath clean Hands ſhall grow ſtronger and ſtronger. 'Tis ſaid of the People of Iſrael, Exod. 1.11, 12. when Pharaoh put heavy Weights upon them, when he ſet Task-Maſters to afflict them with their Burthens, the more he afflicted them, the more they multiplied. Perſecution never does godly Chriſtians any harm; they grow the more, not only in Number, but in Goodneſs. It refines and purifies them, it purges and makes them white; they grow in Faith, in Patience. Tribulation worketh Patience, Rom. 5.4, 5. and Patience Experience, and Experience Hope. Here is a growing and flouriſhing, like the Palm-Tree, under heavy Preſſures and Afflictions. They get more Knowledg alſo of their own Hearts, and more Acquaintance and Communion with God; the Spirit of Grace and Glory reſteth upon ſuch. And thus the Righteous flouriſh like the Palm-Tree, under Weights and heavy Preſſures of Afflictions. |
| IX. The Branches of the Palm-Tree were uſed as Signs of Victory and Rejoycing, when the People would expreſs their great Joy. When they beheld Chriſt riding triumphantly to Jeruſalem, Joh. 12. they cut down Palm-Branches, &c. Alſo the Hundred Forty Four Thouſand,Rev. 7.9. who were redeemed from the Earth, that were cloathed in white, are ſaid to have Palms in their hands. | IX. Saints are as Palm-Branches in Chriſt's hand, as a Sign of that glorious Victory he hath obtained over Sin, Satan, the World, Death, Hell, and Wrath, and all other Enemies whatſoever. Alſo (as one obſerves) their being compared to the Palm-Tree, may ſignify that victorious and triumphant State, and eternal Joy, which they ſhall obtain, after the heavy Preſſures, Sorrows, and Afflictions, that attend them in this World, are ended. |
Inferences.
THis ſhews forth the Excellency of true Grace; ſuch is its rare Nature, that it cauſeth the Soul that receives it to grow like a Palm-Tree.
2. God hereby outwits the Mighty. There is no Counſel againſt the Lord. The Ungodly hang their Weights upon Chriſt's Palm-Trees, and what is their Intent and Purpoſe in ſo doing, you may read in the Scriptures: Come on, ſaith Pharaoh, let us deal wiſely with them, how was that? To lay Weights and Burthens upon them: To what end? Leſt they ſhould multiply. They reſolved to keep them down, they ſtrove to hinder their Growth, they deſigned to ſpoil their Multiplying, and their Growth in Number, as alſo in Grace and Vertue; but they were like the Palm-Tree, the more they were oppreſſed, the more they grew and multiplied. That way Men think to hinder the Truth, to obſtruct the Goſpel from flouriſhing; that way God takes to make it ſpread and flouriſh the more. Thoſe things that happened to the Apoſtles, to hinder their Miniſtry, God made for the furtherance of the Goſpel.
3. This ſhould raiſe up our Hearts to magnify the Power, Wiſdom, and Goodneſs of God, who over-rules things thus in the World; who turns that for Good, which wicked Men deſign for the great Hurt of his poor People. This alſo cometh from the Lord of Hoſts, who is wonderful in Counſel, and excellent in Working. He makes the Righteous to flouriſh like the Palm-Tree, to grow upwards, by thoſe Ways and Means which one would think would bring them quite down, and utterly ſpoil their growing. Like as when we ſee the Corn laid at, and threſh'd with a Flail,Caryl. one would think there were great Hurt intended to the Corn, but it is only to ſeparate it from the Straw and Chaff, that it may appear in its own Beauty and Uſefulneſs: So the Lord hath his Flail, to ſeparate the Chaff from the Wheat. Thoſe Acts of Providence, which ſeem to be for their Hurt and Undoing, when they are threſh'd as it were by the World, are only to make them appear what they are. But thus it fareth not with the Wicked, who flouriſh not like the Palm-Tree, but as the Graſs they paſs away.
4. This may animate the Righteous, and greatly encourage them againſt Perſecution. Why ſhould they fear that which God turns to their great Advantage? O let us labour to improve Burthens, Afflictions, and heavy Preſſures, to the end God deſigns them, and never more fear the worſt that Men can do unto us. The Righteous ſhall flouriſh like the Palm-Tree.
5. Let us labour for Union, and ſtrengthen one another, combine as one Man in the Way of Holineſs and Chriſtian Affection, that ſo thereby we may, like the tender Plants of the Palm-Tree, get Strength, and ſtand when the Wind blows hardeſt, and the Storms of the Ungodly riſe upon us.
6. This may be alſo Matter of Trial to us; we hereby may try our ſelves, and try our Graces. How is it with you (Sirs) under Sufferings? Do you grow and flouriſh the more? If you wither and decay in Grace, in a Day of Trial, or when you are under Preſſures and Afflictions, and cannot bear hard Things for Chriſt's ſake, it clearly ſhews you are none of God's Palm-Trees.