Tropes and Figures · Benjamin Keach
Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 8 · Part 3
Man compared to a Flower.
Job 14. He cometh up like a Flower, and is cut down.
Iſa. 40.6. All Fleſh is Graſs, and all the Goodneſs thereof as the Flower of the Field.
A Man in his beſt Eſtate, and in every Eſtate, is altogether Vanity;Caryl. ſo he is in his beſt Days, and in all his Days, but a Flower, or may be compared to a Flower.
| Metaphor. | Parallel. |
| A Flower hath a Root, from whence it grows and ſprings up. | SO all Men have one common Root, from whence they ſpring up, viz. the firſt Adam. |
| II. A Flower ſprings up out of the Earth ſuddenly, and at firſt is but a tender Bud, freſh and flouriſhing. | II. So Man ſprings up like a Flower, and at firſt is like a tender Bud, freſh and flouriſhing. |
| III. A Flower hath but a little time of continuance; tho ſome abide longer than others, yet moſt Flowers laſt not long. | III. So Man that is born of a Woman is but of few Days,Job 14.1. his Time is but ſhort upon the Earth; tho ſome continue longer than others, yet generally their Days on the Earth are but few, in a comparative Sence. |
| IV. There are divers Sorts of Flowers; ſome fair to look upon, very lovely to the Eye, but of an ill Savour. | IV. So there are divers Sorts of Men and Women; ſome very fair and amiable to the outward Sight, but of an ill and ſtinking Savour in their Lives and Converſations, in the Noſtrils of God and all good Men, having no Grace, and are beſides of a perverſe and crooked Nature. |
| V. There are ſome other Flowers that are not beautiful to the Sight, whoſe Nature and Virtue is moſt excellent. | V. So there are ſome Men and Women, who tho they are not lovely and beautiful to carnal Eyes, yet are of moſt ſweet and gracious Diſpoſitions, and whoſe Worth and Excellency is exceeding great.Pſal. 45. |
| VI. Great Care is taken of ſome choice and rare Flowers; they are prized at a high rate by ſuch as own them, and know their Worth. | VI. So the Saints, who are choice Flowers in God's Eſteem, are greatly cared for; He eſteems them above what Men eſteem of their choiceſt Flowers; they are his Jewels, and prized by him as his chiefeſt Treaſure; of them he hath ſaid, the World was not worthy. Heb. 11. |
| VII. Some Flowers greatly magnify the Wiſdom of their Creator, there being many great Rarities to be ſeen in them. | VII. So the Wiſdom of God appears in the Creation of Man. He is a curious Piece of God's Workmanſhip, in his firſt Make, in reſpect of his Body, but more eſpecially touching his Soul. But the greateſt Rarity that appears in this Flower, ſhines forth in his ſecond Creation, in his being new made or tranſplanted into Chriſt Jeſus, whereby he is adorned with all thoſe moſt tranſcendent and incomparable Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit. |
| VIII. The rareſt Flowers grow in Gardens; what is a Field-Flower to ſome of theſe? | VIII. So the beſt and moſt choice ſpiritual Flowers grow in God's Garden, (the Church.) What are thoſe ſinful Ones, who grow in the Field of the World, to ſome of theſe? |
| IX. A Flower is moſt beautiful, when it is fully ripe. | IX. So Chriſt's choice Flowers, his precious Saints, are moſt lovely and amiable, when they are fully ripe for Heaven. |
| X. The Owner of Flowers knows the beſt Time to crop them; and who ſhall be offended at him, when he takes to himſelf this or that Flower out of his Garden? He may do what he pleaſeth with his own. | X. So God knows the beſt Time to crop off, or take away by Death this and that precious Flower. Sometimes he cuts them down, before others think they are half ripe; but God knows better than we. He never pulls, nor takes any of his Saints unto himſelf, till he ſeeth they are fit to die. And who ſhall be offended at him in what he doth? tho he take ſuch out of the Garden, that we would fain have grow ſtill there, becauſe they are ſuch a ſweet Ornament to it; but may not God do what he pleaſeth with his own? |
| XI. Some Flowers are gone on a ſudden. Naturaliſts tell us of a Flower that laſteth but one Day; and I have read of others, that fade in the very Budding. | XI. So ſome die as ſoon almoſt as they are born; they are taken away, and fade in the very Bud. Alſo ſome Chriſtians God crops off, and receives to himſelf, as ſoon as they are born again; they come up, and are preſently cut down, &c. |
| XII. Some Flowers have Seed in them, which if ſown will produce a Flower again the next Spring. | XII. So Man, tho he wither away, and die, yet his Body is laid but like a Seed in the Earth; at Spring, viz. in the Reſurrection-day, he ſhall ariſe again. Every Seed ſhall have his own Body; it ſhall not be another, but the ſame Body ſhall ariſe from the Dead: My dead Body ſhall ariſe, &c.1 Cor. 15.38. Iſa. 26.19. Act. 24.5. There ſhall be a Reſurrection both of the Juſt and Ʋnjuſt. |
Inferences.
WHat a fading thing is Man! Let every one from hence learn to make ready to die. Happy are they who are fit and prepared for it; for Man in his Beauty and chief Flouriſhing is near unto withering.
2. How fading and tranſient is all our Glory!
3. What Fools are Mortals to value themſelves ſo high!
4. How vain a thing is it alſo to ſet our Hearts inordinately upon our deareſt Friends! There is mention made of the coming up of this Flower, and of its cutting down, but nothing of its growing. Alas! its ſtanding is ſo ſmall a time, it is not taken notice of; we are born to die, and we die as ſoon as we are born.