July 23

Therefore it is said, "Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem." And here, "Sing ye unto her." She is sometimes unable in a strange land to sing the Lord's song herself—Let others sing unto her—and as a babe is sung to sleep, let her fears, and cares, and griefs be soothed away—Let ministers—Let her fellow-members cheer her—Let the public songs of Zion make her joyful in my house of prayer, that she may be filled with all joy and peace in believing."

Believing what? What she is—and what she may expect. First, what she is: "Sing ye unto her, a vineyard of red wine." A vineyard is one of the most common figures by which the Church is held forth in the Scriptures; and it is easy, just, and striking. It is to intimate that they are severed from the world, and formed a peculiar people. They are made to differ from others as wheat differs from tares, as flowers from noxious weeds, as a vineyard from a rude barren wilderness. A vineyard is private property; in which the owner delights, and from which he derives profit. And the Lord's portion is his people. He has chosen them for his own inheritance. He has set them apart as godly for himself. He takes pleasure in them; and derives his praise from them. He is glorified when they bear much fruit.

But they are a vineyard of "red wine." That is, a vineyard whose vines yield the best fruit, and from which is extracted the richest juice, called in another place "the pure blood of the grape." The people of God are always spoken of in language which marks their value. Every thing is not only peculiar, but superior. They are more excellent than their neighbours. Have they peace? It is a peace which passeth all understanding. Have they joy? It is joy unspeakable and full of glory. The religion of others is only the produce of nature; and that which is of the flesh is flesh. But the Lord's people are spiritual. They are partakers of God's holiness. They follow the Lord fully. Their conversation is in heaven. Their speech drops as a honeycomb.

Secondly, what she may expect: "I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." As the word feed, when applied to the Lord as a shepherd, intends not only his furnishing his sheep with food, but performing all the pastoral office; so keeping the vineyard here denotes all the work of the husbandman. Vines are very dependent growths; they require much attention. They must sometimes be pruned. The useless and injurious suckers which would draw off the sap from the bearing boughs must be lopped off. I one day saw the gardener at this work—he seemed to be very free with the knife—and rather fearing for the vine, I inconsiderately said, "Are you not taking away too much?" "Sir," said he, "I know what I am doing." And recovering my confidence in him, I left the execution to his own skill; and I had no reason to complain: the clusters justified him. Why do we not trust in the God of all grace? He does not afflict willingly, but for our profit. His work is perfect, his ways are judgment. But observe what he here engages to do. His vineyard needs refreshing, reviving, and increase. And he will "water it;" water it by his word, his ordinances, and his Spirit—and water it "every moment." No other vineyard needs this—but what would be the consequence if God was ever to withhold the influence of his

grace from us? His vineyard is exposed; and to what purpose would the culture of it be, if the fences were broken down, and wild beasts of the desert could enter and devastate? But they have a vigilant and Almighty protector, who, "lest any hurt it, will keep it night and day." Keep it constantly—night and day. Keep it completely—lest any hurt it—not only lest any destroy it, but injure it! How well are they kept who are kept by the power of God!

What condescension and kindness are here!—That the Lord will do all this! Lord, what is man that thou shouldest magnify him—that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him!

Remember me, O Lord, with the favour thou bearest to thy people. "If I am a vine in thy vineyard, no one seems so low, so weak, so unflourishing, so unpromising as I am. Return, I beseech thee, O God—Look down from heaven—and behold and—Visit this vine."

JULY 24.—"The Father loveth the Son."—John 3:35.

This is obviously spoken in a way of emphasis and distinction. "God is love." We find in him a love of common bounty—This leads him to provide for us as creatures that he has made; for the eyes of all wait on him; and he satisfieth the desires of every living thing. We find in him a love of benevolence, called in the Scripture mercy and grace—This regards us as fallen creatures, and appears in the provision he has made to relieve our guilt, misery, and helplessness. We see in him also a love of complacency—In this he respects us as renewed creatures. For complacency takes in approbation, and esteem, and delight: and this God can only feel towards the regenerate; for what fellowship hath righteousness, with unrighteousness, and what communion has light with darkness? But the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in them that hope in his mercy. And they stand in the same bond, and will share in the same condition with the Saviour himself—They are "joint-heirs with Christ"—they "shall be glorified together." And therefore in his prayer for his followers, he says, "I have declared unto them thy Name, and will declare it, that the love which thou hast towards me may be in them."

Yet though the love of the Father to his people be the same with the love he bears to his Son, it is the same in kind only, not in degree—He is "the first-born among many brethren," and "in all things he must have the pre-eminence." There is therefore a peculiar significance in the assertion; "The Father loveth the Son." This love is founded in three things. First, likeness. A measure of this resemblance is found in all Christians. Hence they are said to be "renewed after the image of him that created us in righteousness and true holiness." But the likeness is not complete. There are remains of depravity in all of them while they are here; and they acknowledge and mourn over their deficiencies. But he was the image of the invisible God: the express image of his person. "In him was no sin." The prince of this world came, but found nothing in him to work upon. The stirring up of the water brought up no mire and dirt, because there was nothing but purity at the bottom.