Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 8 · Part 18 – Part 19
Saints compared to Myrtle-Trees.
Iſa. 41.19. I will plant in the Wilderneſs the Cedar, the Shittah, and the Myrtle-Tree, &c.
Iſa. 55.13. In the ſtead of the Thorn, ſhall come up the Fir-Tree; and in ſtead of the Bryar ſhall come up the Myrtle-Tree, &c.
Zech. 1.8, 11. I ſaw by Night, and behold a Man riding upon a red Horſe, and he ſtood among the Myrtle-Trees that were in the Bottom.
THe wiſe God, who beſt knows the Nature and Properties of all Things that his Hands hath made compares the Ungodly oftentimes in holy Scripture to Trees, and other Things that are of a hurtful and evil quality, or are of ſuch a Nature that He ſees will ſutably ſet them forth: They are compared to Bryars, Thorns, Nettles, &c. And alſo the Godly are ſet forth by, and compared to ſeveral Sorts of Trees, as to the Palm-Tree, the Cedar, the Willow, &c. and in theſe Places (as many underſtand) to the Myrtle-Tree; the Nature of which, together with an uſeful Parallel, take as followeth.
| Metaphor. | Parallel. |
| THe Myrtle-Tree is a rare and moſt excellent Tree, a Tree of very great account; hardly any one Tree was more accounted of amongſt the Romans, as Pliny obſerves; the Jews highly eſteemed of it. | THe Saints are a choice People; God eſteems highly of them. As the Myrtle-Tree excells the Thorn and the Bryar, ſo do the Godly excell the Wicked.Iſa. 41.19. Iſa. 55.13. Iſa. 43.4. Since thou haſt been precious in my Sight, thou haſt been honourahle, &c. |
| II. There are divers Sorts of Myrtle-Trees; ſome white, and ſome black, Plin. lib. 15. p. 451. ſome tame, and others wild, as Hiſtorians have noted. | II. So there are divers Sorts of Chriſtians; ſome more ſhining in Grace and Holineſs than others; ſome, by reaſon of an evil and crooked Nature, Grace hardly appears in them, &c. We read of Fathers, young Men, and Children. |
| III. The beſt Sorts of Myrtle-Trees were uſed to be planted in Gardens, and were a great Ornament to them, their Branches being very green, and amiable to look upon. | III. The Godly, thoſe ſpiritual Trees, which God plants in his Church, which is his Garden; and the moſt holy and mortified Ones of them, ſuch whoſe Converſation and Profeſſion is amiable, whoſe Branches and ſpiritual Leaves wither not, are a great Ornament to God's Garden. |
| IV. The Myrtle-Tree yields moſt choice and excellent Fruit; nay, more may be ſaid of it, than of any other Tree, for it yields two Sorts of Fruit, both Oil and Wine. Nature, ſaith Pliny, ſheweth her wonderful Power touching this Tree, eſpecially in the Juice, conſidering, that of all Fruits it alone doth yield two Sorts, both Oil and Wine. | IV. The Saints of God are a People that yield two Sorts of Fruit, to the Honour of God, and the Profit of their Neighbour, anſwering to the two Tables. In this they excell all other People. There are ſome that are morally righteous, they make Conſcience of their Duties to Men, but do not bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit, in anſwering a good Conſcience towards God. Herein do I exerciſe my ſelf, &c.Acts 24.16 |
| V. The Myrtle-Trees are ſaid to ſtand in the Bottom, Zech. 1.8, 11. | V. The Saints of God are a People of a lowly and humble Spirit, and hence they are compared to the low Vallies; whereas the Wicked are compared to lofty Mountains. Alſo the Myrtle-Tree in the Bottom may ſignify the low and perſecuted State of God's People; and in that the Angels are ſaid to be amongſt them, it holds forth the gracious Preſence of God with his Saints, whilſt they are in a low, dark, and perſecuted Condition. Yea, Pſal. 23 4. tho I walk (ſaith David) through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no Evil; for thou art with me, &c. |
| VI. The Myrtle-Tree never ſheds its Leaves. | VI. The Righteous are ſaid to be like a Tree whoſe Leaves wither not;Pſal. 1.3. they hold faſt the Profeſſion of their Faith. |
| VII. The Myrtle-Tree is ſaid to yield a ſweet and fragrant Scent. | VII. The Saints yield a ſweet Savour to God and Man. Now thanks be to God, 2 Cor. 2.14, 15. which always cauſeth us to triumph in Chriſt, and maketh manifeſt the Savour of his Knowledg by us in every Place: For we are of God a ſweet Savour of Chriſt, in them that are ſaved, and in them that periſh. |
Saints compared to Willow-Trees.
Iſa. 44.4. And they ſhall ſpring up as among the Graſs, as Willows by the Water-Courſes.
THey ſhall ſpring up, &c. That is, the Off-ſpring of Jacob, the true Seed or Covenant-People of God. As among the Graſs, as Willows by the Water-Courſes: As Willows grow and ſpring up by the Water-Courſes, ſo the Saints of God are ſaid to flouriſh or ſpring up
| Simile. | Parallel. |
| VVIllows are ſo called, becauſe they moſtly grow near to Brooks, and always proſper beſt near Rivers and Water-Courſes, contrary to ſome other Trees, as the Cypreſs and Cheſnut-Trees, which love not watery Places. | THe Trees of Righteouſneſs, viz. the Saints, grow beſt near the River of God, i. e. where the Springs of living Water flow forth. It is the Influence of the holy Spirit, which is compared to a River,Joh. 7.37, 38. that cauſes Believers to ſpring up and grow ſo ſweetly. |
| II. Remove a Willow that grows by the Water ſide, and plant it upon a Heath, and you will ſoon ſee it decay and wither. | II. So if a Chriſtian be removed from Chriſt, or hindred of the ſweet Influences of the Spirit, and divine Ordinances of the Goſpel, which the Faithful enjoy in God's Church, he will ſoon decay and wither in Grace and Holineſs, like a Willow upon a dry Heath.Jer. 17.6. |
| III. The Willow by the Water-Courſes is green, and flouriſhes in a Time of Drought, when many other Trees and Plants fade and wither away. | III. So the Saints and People of God are in this reſpect like Willows or Trees planted by the Water ſide; for ſo the Prophet plainly affirms: Bleſſed is the Man that truſteth in the Lord, Jer. 17.8. whoſe Hope the Lord is: For he ſhall be as a Tree planted by the Waters, and that ſpreadeth forth her Roots by the River, and ſhall not ſee when Drought cometh, but her Leaf ſhall be green; and ſhall not he careful in the Year of Drought, neither ceaſe from yielding Fruit. Compared with Pſal. 1.3. |
Inferences.
HEnce we may learn, that the Holy Spirit in his bleſſed Springs of Graces, Promiſes, and Ordinances, is every way as needful to the Growth of God's People, as Springs of Water are to the Willow-Tree.
2. Let us bleſs the Almighty, who hath planted us by the ſide of the River of God, and let us pray, that he would never tranſplant us, nor remove us into a barren and heathy Wilderneſs.