Page images
PDF
EPUB

14

THE MUSTARD-PLANT.

childhood to the "stature of a perfect man in Christ Jesus."

True religion must, therefore, be essentially progressive. This is the clear implication of all the figures used in the word of God to describe the work of grace in the heart. It is compared to a mustard-seed, which is the least of all seeds. But, when it springs up, it rises and spreads its branches till it becomes the greatest of all herbs. The beauty and appropriateness of this figure will not be appreciated unless we take into consideration the luxuriant growth of plants in Eastern countries. The Jews have a fable of a mustard-tree whose branches were so extensive as to cover a tent. But we should never expect such a plant to spring up at once into full maturity. It is the mushroom which opens full grown to behold for the first time the morning sun; but it as speedily withers away. Yet neither should we expect such a plant to become stationary in its growth, before it arrives at maturity. If it ceases to grow, there must be a worm at the root, or some fatal disease, which will cause it to shrivel and die. The operation of grace is also compared to leaven; which is so little at first that its presence in the meal can scarcely be perceived. But when it begins to work, it increases and extends till the whole is leavened. Yet its progress may be impeded by cold; and the process can rarely be restored, so as not to injure the production. So the Christian will rarely recover from the injurious effects of backsliding and growing cold in his religious affections.

THE LIVING SPRING.

. 15

Again, grace is compared to a living spring-a fountain, whose waters bubble up and send forth a constant stream. Christ says, "The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life." When these words were uttered, our Lord was sitting on a deep well, in conversation with the woman of Samaria. As his custom was, he drew instruction from the objects around him. He directed her attention away from the water which could only quench natural thirst, to the living water, which refreshes the soul. But she, not understanding him, wished to know how he could obtain living water from a deep well, without any thing to draw with. In order to show the superiority of the water of life, he told her that those who drank of it should have it in them, constantly springing up of itself, as from an overflowing fountain. One of the most deeply-cherished recollections of the author's early life, is the living spring that flowed from a rock near the home of his childhood. The severest drought never affected it, and in the coldest season of a northern winter it was never frozen. Oft, as he rose in the morning, when the chilling blasts whistled around the dwelling, and every thing seemed sealed up with perpetual frost, the ice and snow would be smoking around the spring. Thus, like a steady stream, should our graces flow, unaffected by the drought or barrenness of others, melting the icy hearts around us.

"The righteous," says David, "shall flourish like a palm-tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon." The palm-tree continues to grow and increase, and

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

retains its vigor and fruitfulness perhaps longer than any other tree. It is also renowned for its ability to multiply its own kind, its root producing a great number of suckers; and when it is planted by a living spring in the desert, soon there will be found a little forest of palm-trees growing up around it. This is one of the most useful of trees, every part of it being put to some profitable use. To "flourish like the palm-tree," therefore, is full of meaning. This can be realized by the Christian only when he is making progress in his own spiritual growth, contributing, by his influence, to the increase of the "trees of righteousness" in the garden of the Lord, and abounding in works of usefulness. The cedar is an evergreen. It does not, like many trees, shed its verdure, and remain apparently lifeless one half the year, and then shoot forth luxuriantly again for a little season; but its growth is steady and sure. It is perpetually green. To grow like a cedar, therefore, indicates a steady progress in the divine life.

The motives which urge us to seek and maintain an elevated standard of piety, are the highest that can be presented to our minds. The glory of God requires it. This is the greatest possible good. It is the manifestation of the divine perfections to his intelligent creatures. This manifestation is made by discovering to them his works of creation, providence, and grace, and by impressing his moral image upon their hearts. In this their happiness consists. In promoting his own glory, therefore, God exercises the highest degree of disinterested benevolence. Nothing can add to his

THE GLORY OF GOD.

17

happiness: nothing can diminish it. If the whole creation were blotted out, and God were the only being in the universe, he would still be perfectly glorious and happy in himself. There can be, therefore, no selfishness in his maintaining his own glory. The glory of the Creator is essential to the good of the creature. A desire to glorify God must, then, be the ruling principle of our conduct, the moving spring of our actions. But how is the glory of God promoted by our growth in grace ?

1. It is manifested to us by impressing his image upon our hearts, and by giving us a spiritual discovery of the excellence, purity, and loveliness, of his moral nature.

2. It is manifested to others, so far as we maintain a holy life; for thereby the moral image of Christ is exhibited, as the glory of the sun appears by the reflected light of the moon.

3. The glory of God is promoted by making others acquainted with the riches of free grace, and bringing them to Christ; for, by that means, they receive spiritual light to behold the beauty and glory of the divine perfections, and his image is stamped upon their souls.

We have, likewise, great encouragement to aim at progress in divine things. The word of God is full of promises to such as seek after high attainments in divine knowledge and holiness. The prophet Hosea says, "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain upon the earth." His going

18

THE EARLY RAIN.

forth, to those who follow on to know him, shall be as certain, and as regular, and steady, as the daily return of the morning; and as progressive as the sun, when his beams break from the east, and increase in brightness and intensity, till they pour down the burning heat, and steady, clear light, of perfect day. "If we follow on to know the Lord," our consolations shall be as constant, and our experience of the goodness of the Lord as certain, as the regular succession of night and day; and our communion with God, and increase of light, shall be as steady as the progress of the sun from early dawn to mid-day. There may be occasional clouds; but they will quickly disperse, and the Sun of Righteousness will break forth with sweeter beams and more cheering lustre.

He shall also "come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain upon the earth.” In Palestine, the rain does not fall, as in this country, at all seasons of the year; but heavy rains descend, to water the ground at seed-time, to cause the seed to spring up and grow; and these rains are so plentiful as to carry on vegetation with steady progress, till near the harvest, when the "latter rain" falls, to perfect the crop to give body to the kernel, so that, when it shall ripen, it may be plump and full. If this latter rain fails, the kernel shrinks, and shrivels up, so that the grain is deteriorated in quality, and diminished in quantity. The "former rain," in the text quoted, then, would seem to denote that "refreshing from on high," which the soul experiences when the "good seed" of the word first springs up; and, if this be abundant,

« PreviousContinue »