Simile. | Parallel.
Part or the Beauty of the Olive-Tree consists in its Greenness, it is always green; few Trees that bear Fruit are like the Olive in this respect. | SO the Church of God, and every sincere Soul, is green and flourishing. Greenness notes Life and Sap to be in the Branches; the Branches of the Divine Olive, viz. the Saints, are never without spiritual Moisture, or the Sap of Grace in their Hearts and Lives:1 His Leaves shall not fail. Hence David said, He was like a green Olive-Tree in the House of the Lord.2
II. The Olive-Tree is renowned for Fruitfulness, it abounds mightily with Fruit. Pliny saith, If care be not taken, its Fruit so loads it, that it even breaks it down. | II. The Church is fruitful now, but shall be much more fruitful unto God hereafter; her Beauty shall be as the Olive-Tree in this respect. She shall abound in Children, and abound in Grace, and true Holiness.
III. The Olive-Tree beareth not only much Fruit, but also profitable Fruit. Olives are rare things. What Tree brings forth better Fruit than the Olive-Tree? Its Fruit is mollifying, feeding, strengthening, healing; its Oil makes your Lamps to burn. | III. So the Church brings forth good Fruit, not only a great quantity, but Fruit that excels in its Nature or Quality, viz. Faith, Love, Meekness, Patience, Charity,3 &c. even all the Fruits of the Spirit, (or as they are in another place called, the Fruits of Righteousness.4) Grace is of a mollifying, feeding, strengthening, and healing Nature; Grace makes the Lamp of Profession to burn clear, whereby others see, or have much Light. See Oil.
IV. The Branches of an Olive-Tree were formerly used to signify Peace. | IV. A Saint is for Peace. They are Peace-makers; they desire nothing more than Peace with God, and Peace with Men: I am for Peace, saith David. 5He that hath the Fruit of the Olive, viz. Grace, shall soon see the Dove, viz. the Spirit, bringing the Olive-Branch: but, as Noah's Dove did not bring the Olive-Branch, till the Waters were abated; so the Flood of Iniquity must be abated, the Waters of Wickedness sink and be dried up, before a Man can receive a sure Sign or Token of Peace and Reconciliation with God.
Simile. | Parallel.
PArt or the Beauty of the Olive-Tree consists in its Greenness, it is always green; few Trees that bear Fruit are like the Olive in this respect. | SO the Church of God, and every sincere Soul, is green and flourishing. Greenness notes Life and Sap to be in the Branches; the Branches of the Divine Olive, viz. the Saints, are never without spiritual Moisture, or the Sap of Grace in their Hearts and Lives:1 His Leaves shall not fail. Hence David said, He was like a green Olive-Tree in the House of the Lord.2
II. The Olive-Tree is renowned for Fruitfulness, it abounds mightily with Fruit. Pliny saith, If care be not taken, its Fruit so loads it, that it even breaks it down. | II. The Church is fruitful now, but shall be much more fruitful unto God hereafter; her Beauty shall be as the Olive-Tree in this respect. She shall abound in Children, and abound in Grace, and true Holiness.
III. The Olive-Tree beareth not only much Fruit, but also profitable Fruit. Olives are rare things. What Tree brings forth better Fruit than the Olive-Tree? Its Fruit is mollifying, feeding, strengthning, healing; its Oil makes your Lamps to burn. | III. So the Church brings forth good Fruit, not only a great quantity, but Fruit that excells in its Nature or Quality, viz. Faith, Love, Meekness, Patience, Charity,3 &c. even all the Fruits of the Spirit, (or as they are in another place called, the Fruits of Righteousness.4) Grace is of a mollifying, feeding, strengthening, and healing Nature; Grace makes the Lamp of Profession to burn clear, whereby others see, or have much Light. See Oil.
IV. The Branches of an Olive-Tree were formerly used to signify Peace. | IV. A Saint is for Peace. They are Peace-makers; they desire nothing more than Peace with God, and Peace with Men: I am for Peace, saith David. 5He that hath the Fruit of the Olive, viz. Grace, shall soon see the Dove, viz. the Spirit, bringing the Olive-Branch: but, as Noah's Dove did not bring the Olive-Branch, till the Waters were abated; so the Flood of Iniquity must be abated, the Waters of Wickedness sink and be dried up, before a Man can receive a sure Sign or Token of Peace and Reconciliation with God.
- 1Psal. 1.3.
- 2Psal. 52.8.
- 3Gal. 5.22.
- 4Jam. 3.17.
- 5Psal. 120.7
