August 8

shall not hunger and thirst after spiritual blessings in vain; but also that they shall not hunger and thirst after other things, as they once did, before they tasted that the Lord is gracious. The enjoyment of a greater good subdues the relish of a less. What are the indulgences of sin, or the dissipations of the world, to one who is abundantly satisfied with the fatness of God's house, and is made to drink of the rivers of his pleasure?

This is the blessed state we should seek after. The want of this weanedness is the source of apostasy and backsliding. It was because her heart was left in Sodom that Lot's wife looked back. It was because he loved the present world that Demas forsook the apostles. Owing to the want of this we have so many inconsistencies in professors of religion. They are yet attached to things from which they are restrained; and in the sight of God they are considered as still pursuing them. Give me a Christian that is weaned from them, having found something infinitely superior. He who lives most in the enjoyment of his heavenly privileges will be the most secure from the evil of temptation, and walk most worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called.

We should also be concerned to exemplify this disposition with regard to our state and circumstances in life. The secret of happiness is not the enlargement of our means, but the limitation of our desires. Let us consider ourselves as only strangers and pilgrims on earth. Let us say with the Shunamite, "I dwell among my own people." Let us learn in whatsoever state we are, therewith to be content. Let us say, "The Lord shall choose our inheritance for us"—leaving all to his wisdom and goodness—and desiring nothing that he withholds—

"Pleas'd with all the Lord provides;

AUGUST 8.—"There shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek."—Isaiah 11:10.

THESE words lead us to observe three things with regard to the Messiah. First, his coming in the flesh. "There shall be a root of Jesse." Some contend that the expression establishes the divine nature of our Lord, and refer to his own authority when he said, "I am the root and the offspring of David." As a root bears the stem, and not the stem the root, so, say they, our prophet would signify that he is the source of Jesse's being, and not that he derives his being from him. If we do not yield to this reasoning it is not from a disbelief of our Saviour's divinity, or because we think it of little importance in the Christian scheme; but because we are persuaded every passage of Scripture should have its own proper meaning, and no more stress should be laid upon it than it was designed to bear; for a bad argument always injures a good cause. If we wished to prove what we fully believe, that he had a divine nature, according to which he made Jesse and all other creatures, we would go at once to the testimony of John—"All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made;" or to the decision of Paul—"By him were all things crea-

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ted, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him." But "a root of Jesse" means a scion, a shoot springing out of one of his roots; or as it is expressed in the beginning of the chapter, "There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots." The phrase marks the family from which he should arise. This was not known for a long time, and was the effect of a gradual discovery of him. First, he was revealed as the seed of the woman or a partaker of human nature, then as of the seed of Abraham, then as of the tribe of Judah, and, lastly, as of the house of David; and this was so familiarly known when he was on earth, that beggars addressed him as the son of David. It also shows his humble estate. The Scripture often sets forth the various degrees of human condition by trees and plants. We find Nebuchadnezzar's greatness represented by a tree, whose height reached to heaven, and whose shadow covered the earth: while his abasement was expressed by the cutting it down to the ground, and leaving only the stump in the ground. Jesus is not described as a fine tall tree, full of boughs and leaves, but as a sucker from an unpromising, and seemingly dead root. He was poor and mean in the estimation of the world; for though he had real and unspeakable worth, though in him were found all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and in him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, all this is less than nothing and vanity by the side of guineas and ribbons, in the eyes of the multitude. Therefore says our Prophet, "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." Hence it is not said, "a root of" David who had been a mighty monarch, but of "Jesse" whose name was unrenowned; implying that at the time of his appearing the house of his lineage would be reduced to its original obscurity. And so it was. Joseph, that son of David his reputed father, was a carpenter, and his mother a poor virgin, probably working with her hands when her honours were announced to her by the angel. Thus the King of kings and Lord of lords was born—not in the city of Jerusalem, but in a village in the north of Galilee, little among the thousands of Judah—not in a palace, but in a stable. Thus, as he advanced in life, he had not where to lay his head; his hearers were the common people; and the ministers of his kingdom, fishermen from the lake of Galilee. This has always scandalized the pride of reason: but "Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight."

Secondly, his destination—"Which shall stand for an ensign of the people." Here is a new metaphor, for no single image will do him justice; yea, all that we can employ must fall short of his glory. But each figure aids our conception of some particular part of his character and office. Of old it was customary in time of war for the prince or commander to erect an ensign on a mountain or hill, there to summon the inhabitants of the province to place

them in military condition, by furnishing them with arms, training them, assigning them their rank and place, and giving them their orders. Thus Jesus was lifted up on the cross that he might draw all men unto him; and thus he is lifted up in the preaching of the Gospel, that he might gather together in one, the children of God that are scattered abroad. Therefore it was said, "to him shall men come;" "to him shall the gathering of the people be,"—as the inhabitants of a town gather together at the only well that supplies them—as pupils assemble around the only master that can teach them—as soldiers repair to the oriflamb suspended over the chief's tent. The allusion is just and suitable. The religious life is a warfare. Christians are good soldiers of Jesus Christ. He is the Captain of their salvation, the Leader and Commander of the people. He conducts them not to carnage and infamy, but to glory, honour, and immortality. His warfare is not carnal, but spiritual; and it is a good warfare; and they need not be afraid to follow his movements; he cannot err. With him they are always safe. He will teach their hands to war and their fingers to fight; he will renew their strength; he will make their way prosperous—Yea, in all these things they are more than conquerors through him that loved them.

Thirdly, his successful influence—"To it shall the Gentiles seek." In his quotation of the words, the Apostle varies the language, and says, "In his Name shall the Gentiles trust." But there is no inconsistency between this seeking and this trusting; the one is the cause, the other the effect; or rather, each is alternately both cause and effect too. Because we trust in him we seek him; and when we seek him we find how worthy he is of our trust, for they that know his name will put their trust in him. The trusting is the seeking in the principle; and the seeking is the trusting in the exercise.

But who were to be the subjects attracted? "The Gentiles." Nothing could have been more unlikely when this assurance was given. The whole world was lying in wickedness, and abandoned to the most abominable idolatries, "without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." What probability was there that these should believe in one who was crucified, and become followers of the meek and holy Jesus? But it had been announced, and it was to a surprising extent accomplished. We may see the change in our own country. We were heathens, led away of dumb idols, and enslaved by comfortless and cruel superstitions. But what a prevalence, and what triumphs, for ages, has the Gospel attained here! And yet without miracles; and by the blessing of God upon means far inferior to those we possess, and upon exertions made under far greater disadvantages than we have to contend with. How groundless is missionary discouragement! What has been done—may be done. Is any thing too hard for the Lord.

And we here see not only the power of God, but we see the nature of the Gospel dispensation. It forbids none, however unfavourable their condition and character. It cries, Peace, Peace, to him that is far off, as well as to them that are nigh. The Gentiles