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he that girds his sword upon his thigh as the most mighty, is anointed to bind up the broken hearted, and to set at liberty those that are bruised, Luke iv. 18. I think this blunt sword may represent that which Moses speaks of; "Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thine excellency?" An excellent sword this, there is none like it; the wounds we receive from this are excellent, noble, divine, and durable; God grant they never may be healed while we live in the world, seeing a broken spirit is an acceptable sacrifice; under every wound remember it is the sword of mercy; in mercy it is used, and through mercy it will do no hurt; mercy has a soft hand, a tender heart, and compassionate bowels; if fatherly severity gives a wound, tender pity applies the balm. It may be said of a saint in a good sense as it is said of the popish beast in a bad one; That he received a wound by a sword and did live, for his deadly wound was healed; and the whole world will one day wonder as much at the saint, as it wondered after the beast. In short, it will not be terrible to a child of God to die of the wounds given by the sword of mercy. This weapon is generally used where peace is proclaimed; "There is that speaketh like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise is health."

The ivory sceptre with the dove on the top put me in mind of Solomon's ivory throne, which that peaceable prince made for himself, "overlayed

with the best gold; the throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps; there was not the like made in any kingdom." This throne beautifully typified the throne of grace; the light colour may shew the Saviour's holy and merciful proceedings with his own people; the two lions at the foot of the throne, the one representing the terrible majesty of his deity; “The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" the other the majesty of his risen, exalted, and glorified humanity, he being the lion of the tribe of Judah. The six steps may prefigure the Saviour's way to his throne; he went to it, 1. By his descent from heaven. 2. By his assumption of human nature. 3. By his state of humili4. By his obedient descent by

ation as a servant.

death into the grave. 5. By his resurrection; and 6. By his ascension to heaven, where he is sat down on the throne of majesty on high. The twelve lions on the steps of the ivory throne might represent not only the twelve tribes, who at first supported Solomon on his throne, but the twelve apostles, who as prime ministers of state, and the honourable privy council of the great king, appeared bold, valiant, and courageous, spent all they had, and were spent themselves in defending the honour, hereditary and meritorious right of their

royal master to the throne of David, and the government of the house of Israel; their standing on the steps may denote their ascension after their master, and the impossibility of any getting to the Saviour but by obedience to the doctrines which they taught; it may likewise denote their ascension to be with their Lord, who will one day appear twelve lions indeed, when they sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. The ivory sceptre put me in mind of the sceptre swayed by the Saviour in glory; he is king of Zion and king of glory, king of saints and king of angels, principalities and powers. The colour of this sceptre put me in mind of the bright, the glorious, and lovely proceedings of the great King among the spirits of just men made perfect.

The dove upon the top, the emblem of peace, served to remind me of those peaceable mansions and quiet habitations above, where uninterrupted peace shall be enjoyed, the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary be for ever at rest. The dove brought to my mind the blessed Spirit of God, which rests upon every loyal subject of the Saviour's spiritual kingdom; and on which account the church is called by her royal bridegroom, "My love, my dove, my undefiled;" "My dove that art in the clefts of the rock, Let me see thy countenance," says the altogether lovely, "Let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely."

The silver fountain being empty put me in

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mind of the emptiness of all sublunary enjoy, ments, which at first sight seem to promise much, but afford no more than the fountain did to us, that is, the beholding of it with our eyes, which are never satisfied with seeing. An empty fountain seems a contradiction in terms, because it has no supply from itself; it should rather be called a cistern, because it will hold water if you put it into it; but all the transient enjoyments of this world are in a cistern that can hold no water, My people," saith God, "have committed two evils, they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water." God is a fountain. of living water, from whom through the Lamb comes that glorious river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God. Souls filled and satisfied with this water never thirst for the vanities of this world again; he has got a spring within him, as wisdom says; "A good man is satisfied from himself," that is, from a knowledge of his own safety and happiness, for his very heart is a fountain, being partaker of that water that springs up into everlasting life; on which account the church is called "A garden enclosed, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed." This spring shall carry us at last into that inexhaustible fountain from whence the streams descend; then we shall be abundantly satisfied with the goodness of his house, and drink of the river of his pleasure; for with him is the fountain of life; until which happy and blessed

period we must content ourselves with that glorious declaration that heaven has made to Zion; "All my springs are in thee."

The golden eagle with her expanded wings put me in mind of the amazing condescension and tender love of God, which quickens, inflames, and bears the church above the world. Moses represents this bird as turning over her eggs, that they may all get warm alike; as hovering over her young, and taking them on her wings and mounting up with them, in order to teach them how to fly; and then compares it to the tender care and love of God to his people. "As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; so the Lord alone did lead him [Jacob], and there was no strange God with him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth," Deut.

xxxii. 11-13.

The eagle is a very towering flyer, noted for scent and quickness of sight; on which account heavenly-minded souls are compared to her; "They shall mount up as upon eagles' wings, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Job says the eagle beholds afar off; and I am sure the eye of faith sees further than all the eagles in the world; the ancient saints saw the promise at a distance. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, saw the day of judgment; and the eye of faith will pry into heaven itself, and see the way thither; so that the eye of faith exceeds the eye

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