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This is a figurative repre

thereof are made white."* sentation of the afflicted state of the Jewish church; and may serve to exemplify the experience of tried Christians. The engrafted brand became a fruitful bough; but now it bewails its peeled condition. There are seasons when believers have an affecting sense of their own emptiness, poverty, and inability. It is needful that they should feel that they are nothing, have nothing, deserve nothing, and that they can do nothing, but only as they are in, and aided by the Lord Jesus Christ. These feelings endear the Savior to them.

Some of the most advanced in grace have been sadly peeled and left bare, according to their own account of themselves. It is truly an affliction to a sincere mind to feel its fruitless state. One of the holy prophets, when he heard the songs and high praises of others, "Glory to the righteous," himself exclaimed, "My leanness, my leanness!" Another laments, "Wo is me, for I am as when they have gathered the summer-fruits, as the grape-gleanings of the vintage. There is no cluster to eat. My soul desired the first ripe fruit."† But, alas! it fails. "When I would do good, evil is present; and when I expect comfort, it is afar off. O wretched man that I am!" is often the cry of those who are taught the truth as it is in Jesus. Seek, expect, and find all you want in the fulness of Him who filleth all in all.

Self-dependence is a great prevention to a flourishing condition. The withdrawn branch cannot receive the sap from the root; the communications cease, comforts decline, graces wither and decay. An independ+ Mich. vii. 1. Rom. vii. 21, 22. 11

* Joel i. 7.

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ent branch will be only fit for fuel.* Indulgence of sin will hinder our advancement; it is like a worm at the root of the plant, which will cause it to fade and die.t The neglect of means is often punished with darkness of mind, death on our frames, and the want of comfortable evidence of our being put among the children.‡

Another cause of distress, is our trusting to and feeding on our comforts, in preferring the streams to the fountain, regarding the incomes of our inheritance more than our title. This was David's case: "Thou madest my mountain so strong, that it cannot be moved. Thou hidest thy face, and I was troubled." At one time, he could realize the ruin of all his foes: at another, he feared his own overthrow. Our experience must be ever thus fluctuating while we trust on any thing but "oaths, promises, and blood."

When we survey the magnitude and multitude of our privileges, see our little improvement, and observe the prosperous condition of others, their firm faith, strong hope, ardent love, growing zeal, enduring patience, amiable uniformity of carriage, we are ready to say, "I am as the barren fig-tree." How great is the mercy that spares me! Why does not the Lord say, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever?"§

The mind sometimes adverts to the singular acts of grace in the experience of Scripture saints. These are recorded in the eleventh of the Hebrews.

It tries its own state by these as standards, and is discouraged. We should recollect, that to have the extent of their graces, we should be exactly in their trials. If we have the needful grace for the day, either to do or suf

John xv. 6. † Isaiah lix. 2. Isaiah xlviii. 18. Matt. xxi. 19.

fer, let us not complain. Look forward in hope; and, as good Mr. Newton says, "Leave the packet of tomorrow unopened till to-morrow comes. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof."

Satan may be permitted to prevail. "The wild boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it."* If the devil is permitted to succeed, he makes the bough very bare. In reality, as in David's case; and as to sensible evidence, in Job's. He seemed stripped of all, both in body and mind but, in due season, he flourished again.† The enemy is watchful for every favorable opportunity, and diligent to improve it, to distress those whom he cannot destroy. "The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."+

1. Get it well settled in your experience, that Christ and you are one. If this be not clear, there is not any thing that can go on comfortably: you will droop the wing in your flight towards heaven, your hopes will sink, and your prospects will darken. If you have felt your need of him, have given up yourself to him, received him as the God-man in his person, work, atonement, authority, and offices, adhere to this in renewed exercises; prove it by believing; plead it in the lower court of Conscience, and in the higher court of Heaven; ply it against Law, Justice, Sin, Satan, and Sense. Thus live on the Christ of your comforts, and not on the comforts of your Christ; "for man shall not live on bread alone; but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, doth man live."§

2. Let it be a fixed principle, that you have no in

*Psalm lxxx. 13. †Job xlii. 12. Rom. xvi. 20. §Mat. iv. 4.

herent stock. "He putteth no trust in his saints." The beam is necessarily dependent on the Sun: the moon has no light but what is imparted; it only reflects what is communicated; the stream will dry up, if the fountain ceases to send it still forward; if the heart ceases to beat, every member in the body will weaken and become inactive; the leaf will wither and fall as the sap retires, or as its circulation is impeded. Thus it is in spiritual life. "From me is thy fruit found."* “All my fresh springs are in thee." It is a high attainment to be content to be nothing, and the most difficult duty; but the highest privilege to be ever receiving until we are filled with all the fulness of God in the heights of glory.

3. The lamenting and doubting believer (for such there are) should remember, that the Sun of righteousness will soon cause the spring season to return; then w Il apply, "Lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; the fig-tree putteth forth her green. figs, and the vines, with the tender grape, give a good smell." Should he delay, and not rise so soon as expectation might promise, like a morning without a cloud, fear not. The natural sun, though often under clouds, yet has never forsaken our earth; nor will the greater Sun his Church. Thus saith the Lord, "If ye can break my covenant with the day, and my covenant with the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season, then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant."S

Song ii. 11, 12, 15.

*Hosea xiv. 8. Psalms lxxxvii. 7.
Jer. xxxiv. 20--26. Isaiah liv. 7. throughout.

Be sealed in everlasting silence, O thou still replying tongue of unbelief! Hath he said it, and shall he not do it? He is faithfulness itself.

set my seal and

amen to his truth. May his Spirit seal my faith with his "Amen! be it unto thee even as thou wilt." I will thy presence here! I would thy presence for ever!

4. He has promised to renew, and give fresh life' bark, bud, blossom, and fruit. "The dry tree shall flourish; thy dew shall be as the dew of herbs; I will be as the dew unto Israel." Inferior miracles subside the most important and interesting continue, in regeneration, reclaiming conversation, and glorification. Every promise expresses his fixed purpose. That which he has spoken with his mouth, he will make good with his hand. Were we to turn promises into prayers, the Lord would turn them into praises. "He will revive us; and after three days, we shall live in his sight." The spring, the cheerful summer, and the ripened fruit will appear in perfection, to shew that the Lord is faithful. Sing now the prophet's song: "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom; neither shall fruit be in the vine; yet will I rejoice in the Lord: I will joy in the God of my salvation."”:

THE NAIL IN A SURE PLACE.

Isaiah xxii. 23. As a Nail in a Sure Place. It is said of Jesus, that "to him gave all the prophets witness;" and there is no doubt but it was a grand object with all the sacred writers to exalt "Him whom God delights to honor;" yet some of the images they Hab. iii. 7, 18.

* 11

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