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"How sweet our daily comforts prove,
"When they are season'd with His love."

But how true

""Tis all in vain till God has bless'd."

"Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."-Can he also abuse the bounties of Providence, who has implored the Divine benediction upon the use of them? Can he indulge in excess?-Will he not add to his faith temperance? It is lamentable, therefore, that such a duty should ever be omitted-or performed with haste and irreverence-as if the performer was ashamed of the performance.

Let the Saviour's conduct also teach us not to confine our religion to extraordinary and sacred occasions. In all our ways let us acknowledge God. Morning and evening worship is good: but let us be in the fear of the Lord all the day long. It is well to enquire in his Temple: but let us abide with God in our calling. We must remember the Sabbath, and keep it holy; but the spirit of devotion is to actuate us during the week, and to induce us, whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, to do all to the glory of God. Tell me not what a man is in a storm -but in the calm. Not how he behaves himself in sickness-but in health. A Balaam may pray, Let me die the death of the righteous. A David prays, Unite my heart to fear thy Name. There is a goodness which depends upon impulse, not principle; upon outward excitement, not upon internal disposition.

There is a devotion that resembles the blaze of straw; but that which is spiritual is like the fire on the Jewish altar-kindled from above, and which never went out. It is a stream fed by a living fountain; not a sudden torrent, however wide or impetuous at the time, produced by the melting of the snow, or a sum

VOL. I.

3 E

mer's thunder-storm. The water, says the Saviour, that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life.

JUNE 1.-"I am the vine."

John xv. 5.

MINISTERS are not to preach themselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord. But he was his own subject-He preached himself. How could he have done otherwise, concerned as he was to be useful? for

"None but Jesus; none but Jesus,

"Can do helpless sinners good"—

And he knew this far better than we do.-And who was able to declare what he truly was, so well as himself?

Here he calls himself the vine. A very easy and natural image. And natural images are the most preferable in divine things. Many writers and preachers love those allusions which show their learning, and which the uneducated cannot understand. Our Saviour never takes his comparisons from the sciences, and seldom from the arts; but from natural scenery, which is obvious and intelligible to all.

A vine is not so remarkable in its appearance as many other trees. In loftiness, it yields to the cedar. In strength, to the oak. In sightliness, to the palm tree and the fir. The greatness of Jesus was spiritual. He had no earthly pomp and riches. Like his kingdom, he was not of this world. Hence it was said, "He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him."

One

The vine is renowned for its fertility. single vine, planted by the Empress Lavinia, yielded one hundred and eight gallons of wine in one yearMany grapes grow on one cluster, many clusters on one branch, and many branches on one tree. How many have been saved by the Lord Jesus! In him all fulness dwells. In him we are blessed with all spiritual blessings. What clusters were brought from Eshcol, to show Israel the goodliness and fruitfulness of Canaan ! And what specimens of heaven; what earnests of the inheritance; what firstfruits of the Spirit, do faith and hope bring believers from him, even while they are in the Wilderness!

The nature of the produce of the vine is delightful and profitable. The fruit is sweet to the taste. The juice it yields, cheers and makes glad the heart of man-Give wine to those that be of heavy hearts. It was sometimes used medicinally. The good Samaritan poured oil and wine into the wounds of the bleeding traveller. And he brings us health, and cure, and comfort, and delight, and more than angels' food; for

"Never did angels taste, above,
"Redeeming grace and dying love."

The vine also yields shade, and it was valued for this purpose in the East. Hence we so often read in the Scripture, of sitting under the vine and the fig-tree. They had walks and bowers made of these; and while the fruit refreshed them, the shelter screened them from the sun. And he is a shadow from the heat; and rescues us from the evil of every annoyance to which we are exposed. I sat, says the Church, under his shadow with delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

The image, therefore, is pleasing and striking, and aids us in our conceptions of him, and communion with him. Yet it teaches us as much by con

trast, as by comparison. A vine is not always green. It does not always bear. It never bears twelve manner of fruits. It does not endure for ever-But all this is true of him.

The fruit of the vine, if taken too largely, will injure the partaker; but there is no danger here -while we are forbidden to be drunk with wine, wherein is excess, we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit. The produce of the vine is only for the body, and for time: but his benefits are for the soul, and eternity. Many cannot obtain the advantages of the vine; but none, however poor and mean, are excluded from the participations of Christ. The image, therefore, is but a humble one, and falls far short of his glory. So does every thing that is employed to show forth his worth, his glory, or his grace.

"Nor earth, nor seas, nor sun, nor stars,
"Nor heaven, his full resemblance bears:
"His beauties we can never trace,
"Till we behold him face to face.

"Oh! let me climb these lower skies,
"Where storms and darkness never rise!
"There he displays his powers abroad,
"And shines and reigns th' incarnate God!"

JUNE 2.-" Ye are the branches."

John xv. 5.

FOR whatever he is, they have a relation corresponding with it. Thus, if he is the king, they are the subjects. If he is the shepherd, they are the sheep. If he is the head, they are the members. Therefore, having said to his disciples, I am the vine, he adds-Ye are the branches.

This reminds us of their union with him. The vine and the branches are connected. The latter are even

parts of the former: and it would be absurd for a person to say, I did not hurt the vine; I only injured the branches. Why persecutest thou me? said the Saviour to Saul, who was persecuting his followers. He that touches them, touches the apple of his eye. And as he is sensible of their wrongs, so he feels every kindness shewn them; and says, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me.

The

This gives them a character of likeness. branches are the very same kind of wood as the vine; and the very same sap pervades them both. And they that are joined to the Lord are of one spirit. The same mind is in them which was also in Christ Jesus.

This shews their dependence. "The righteous shall flourish as a branch:" but the branch does not bear the tree, but the tree the branch. Whatever likeness there may be, in all things he has the pre-eminence. He is our life and strength. Abide, says he, in me: as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me; for without me ye can do nothing.

The branches

This proclaims their usefulness. are the beauty and excellency of the vine; and by these, its vigour and fertility are displayed. He is glorified in his people. He makes them to blossom and yield fruit. He diffuses his goodness through their prayers and lives. In him is their fruit found, as to its source and support-but they bear it-they are the branches, and are filled with all the fruits of righteousness, which are, by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Let me learn one thing from all this. Let me accustom myself to derive spiritual reflections from all the material objects around me. A taste for natural scenery is pleasing and good in itself. But let me not approach it, as a creature, only to enjoy ;

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