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I. INQUIRE WHAT CHRIST THINKS OF THE BELIEVER. — "As the lily among the thorns, so is My love among the daughters."

1. See what Christ thinks of the unconverted world. It is like a field full of briars and thorns in His eyes.

(1) Because fruitless.

(2) Because, when the Word is preached among them, it is like sowing among thorns.

(3) Because their end will be like that of thorns — they are dry and fit only for the burning.

2. See what Christ thinks of the believer. "As the lily among thorns, so is My love among the daughters." The believer is like a lovely flower in the eyes of Christ.

(1) Because justified in the eyes of Christ; washed in His blood, he is pure and white as a lily.

(2) A believer's nature is changed. Once he was like the barren, prickly thorn, fit only for burning — now Christ has put a new spirit in him — the dew has been given to him, and he grows up like the lily.

(3) Because so lonely in the world. Observe, there is but one lily, but many thorns. There is a great wilderness all full of thorns, and only one lonely flower. So there is a world lying in wickedness, and a little flock that believe in Jesus.

II. INQUIRE WHAT THE BELIEVER THINKS OF CHRIST — "As the apple tree among the trees of the wood."

1. Christ is more precious than all other saviours in the eye of the believer. As a traveller prefers an apple tree to every other tree of the wood, because lie finds both shelter and nourishing food under it, so the believer prefers Christ to all other saviours. Oh! there is no rest for the soul except under that branch which God has made strong. My heart's desire and prayer for you is, that you may all find rest there.

2. Why has the believer so high an esteem of Christ?

(1)  Because he has made trial of Christ.

(2)  Because he sat down with great delight.

(R. M. M'Cheyne.)

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KJV: As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

WEB: As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. Beloved