ted and interwoven together, like the roots of the trees in the forests of Lebanon, that you cannot injure the least of the disciples of Christ without touching the apple of his own eye. Again: We have here the setting up of Christ in his mediatorial office. A tender twig was cropped off from the top of one of the young twigs on the highest branch of the high Cedar and planted in the mountain of the height of Israel. This is the same in signification with laying Christ as a sure foundation for Zion; though the metaphor is different;-there a building-here a forest. This tender twig grew exceedingly well, and became a goodly cedar; it beautified and ornamented the whole forest. It became so exceedingly large and tall, as to shelter and protect the whole forest from the storms, and thunders, and lightnings, which, with dreadful violence. beat upon the high Cedar: all was vain, it remained a goodly Cedar still. In various periods of her history, Zion has been wonderfully assailed; but Jesus has ever been her hiding place. He is her rock and her fortress, her strength and her deliverer, her buckler, high tower and the horn of her salvation. In time of trouble, he hides her in his pavilion; in the secret of his tabernacle he hides her. She is founded on the rock of ages. The foundation of her hope is so firm and sure, that the gates of hell cannot prevail against her. Again: It is said that this goodly Cedar shall bring forth boughs. This figure may represent the mediatorial offices of Christ. He is our Prophet to teach us— our High Priest, who has made atonement for our sins, and who ever liveth to make intercession for us-and our King to govern, guide, and protect us. As such he has instituted laws and ordinances in his house; laws and ordinances worthy of himself to institute, and wellworthy of the obedience of men. Connected with these boughs, are many twigs which we cannot now partion. larly enumerate, such as the atonement, sanctification, redemption, light, strength, and riches of grace. We observe, in the next place, the fruit growing upon this goodly cedar. "It shall bring forth boughs and bear fruit." The tree is known by its fruit; every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. At present we have nothing to say respecting the fruit of cedars in general. All that we have to say on this subject must be respecting the fruit of this goodly Cedar. This is a singular, supernatural tree; though its roots are in heaven, yet its branches fill the universe with good fruit, lowering down even to earth. So wonderfully loaded are the fruit bearing boughs of this tree, that on the day of Pentecost, we see them hang sufficiently low for Jerusalem sinners to reach and pluck the fruit. That day was the feast of first fruits; but never was there such a harvest before. No less than three thousand souls, on that day, were scen feasting on redeeming grace, and dying love. Such delicious fruits as these were never tasted by angels.They know nothing of the bitterness of repentance, nor of the sweets of pardon-nothing of the privilege of the spirit of adoption. The Bride of the Lamb alone can say, "As the Apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved ameng the Sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banquetting house, and his banner over me was love. These fruits are the precicus effects of redemption-mediatorial blessings flowing as freely as the waters run downward to all that thirst.Let all such come and take. of these waters of life, without money and without price. "The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleas ant fruits both new and old." Here is no scarcity.Our elder brother keeps a good table in our Father's house. Here is bread enough, and to spare. Here are provisions of the most delicious kind. The oxen and the fatlings are killed. Wine is here, the best winewine on the lees well refined, for fainting souls. things are ready. AN All these rich blessings, are blessings of divine grace, flowing through one and the same great channel of communication, the mediation of Jesus Christ. Through this channel we receive all the refreshing influences of the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. What a goodly cedar is this! How far it excels all the fruit trees on the terrestrial Globe! The next item in this promise we have in the follow ing words: "And under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell." This metaphor denotes the fulfilment of the promise, "unto him shall the gathering of the people be;" it also expresses the fellowship subsisting between God and the souls of men. We have the same idea expressed in the parable of the mustard seed-"and the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof."How are the saints protected and sheltered till all their calamities are over-past. They are not only hid in the hollow, of God's hand, but also in the wounds of Jesus; so that the curses of Sinai, and the threats of vin. dictive justice can never reach them. "All foul of eve ry wing." Sinners of every age and of every degree -sinners of all languages, colors, and climes-sinners of every principle, custom, and practice-sinners, whose crimes are of the blackest hue-sinners, carrying about them the savour of the brimstone of hell-sinners, meriting eternal damnation-sinners, perishing for lack of knowledge—sinners, pierced by the arrows of conviction-sinners, ready to sink under the burden of sinsinners, overwhelmed and almost in despair-all these are seen flying to Christ for refuge; believing in himtrusting in him—and relying upon him, and his righteousness alone, for happiness and eternal life. Feeling and proving the gospel to be the power of God unto salvation, you see them moving to the Ark before the door is shut. The gathering of the people shall, and must be to our Shiloh. The Lord shall come unto Zion, and his glory shall be seen upon her. The Gentiles shall come to her light, and kings to the brightness of her rising. They gather themselves together and come unto thee. Thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. These birds fly like clouds, and like doves to their windows; and God will glorify the house of his giory. God was determined to teach the trees of the forest some new lessons. Let the Philosophers of Greece and Rome learn them. "I have brought down the high tree-have exalted the low tree-have dried up the green tree-and have made the dry tree to flourish." Many things have occurred in the providence of God which might illustrate these figures; such as bringing Pharaoh down to the bottom of the Red Sea, that Israel might be exalted to sing the song of Moses-drying up the honor, and pride, and pomp of Haman, that Mordecai might flourish in honor and esteem. But to see the accomplishment of this prophecy I must go to Calvary. It would appear that our blessed Redeemer had particular reference to this, when he addressed the daughters of Jerusalem as they followed him to Mount Calvary. "Weep not for me," said he. "There is a myste. ry in this which you are not able at present to discern. Like Joseph, your brother, I have been sold for thirty pieces of silver. I must now take the cross to Calvary, and there die upon the accursed tree between two thieves. But when the lid of the mystical box shall be raised up, then shall you see that it was for the salvation of sinners I gave my back to the smiters, and my life a sac rifice for sin." If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in a dry? I am the green tree to day, Jerusalem sinners, the world lying in wickedness are the dry trees. Now the high tree is brought down, that the low might be exalted. By the heat of the furnace the green tree is now dried up, that the dry barren trees might flourish. These fire-brands had well nigh kindled to a flame of themselves, on the day of noise and tumult, while they cried crucify him, crucify him; and cursed and imprecated his blood to be on them and on their children. But they were spared by virtue of his prayer, who said, Father forgive them. Save these hell-deserving sinners, that are ready for fire. Let the fire of thy wrath and indig. nation be poured out on me. I am willing to be dried up by it, in order that the dry trees might flourish. I am willing to receive the dreadful blow due to them.Bind me in their room and stead, and let them go free. Let Justice call the holy fire to descend, to consume me as a sacrifice upon the altar. The cup that the Father hath given me, I will drink it. emn sound-Awake, O sword! the artillery! In the midst of the most dreadful confusion and consternation surrounding me on every hand, I looked around me and beheld to my great astonishment, that the stroke had fallen on the High tree! The high tree was smitten by the artillery of Justice. I imagine I hear a sol- The g green tree was in the fire. Then I beheld the beam of a great scale; one end descending and the other |
