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CORDS.

THE LORD hath no cords but love to draw his children

with, even should their way be hedged up with thorns, still it is cords of love that binds the thorns about them. "Draw me, we will run after thee." Songs, i. 4.

"The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." Jer. xxxi. 3.

"I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of Love." Hos. xi. 4.

The Man is the Messiah, the Messiah is God, God is Love. How sweet the climax for mortality to attain when it shall have put on Immortality, Mercy, Love, and Glory.

MERCHANT.

Songs, iii. 6.

"Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant."

Merchant, in this verse applies to Jesus :-he has all grace, and "the residue of the Spirit," for his beloved merchantmen, who seek after goodly pearls, and make purchase of" a field" the Lord hath blessed.

Mary returned to her Lord, such an ointment she had made of spikenard, costly, pure, and precious, per

fumed, with myrrh, frankincense, and all powders of the heavenly Merchant, that he said, “Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."

The Church may be styled Mary, and throughout the world this Church shall praise Him, in every believer, that finds the Name of Jesus, "as ointment poured forth." See Songs, iv. 13, 14.-Mark, xiv. 3, &c.John, xii. 3.

PERFUME.

Exodus, xxx. 34-38.

WHEN the LORD instructed Moses to make a Perfume for the Sanctuary, he also put every soul under condemnation who should "make like unto that:" this seemed severe; but the severity of God is encircled by love to his children.

What composition could they make to mingle with their sacrifices acceptable to Jehovah? Then how gracious the interdiction, lest they should be cut off from the benefit of having their sacrifices perfumed with the sweet savour of Jesus Christ's atonement; the richest perfume, the most holy composition, the acceptable offering at the golden altar, the only pure incense that causes "the prayers of all saints" to ascend to God. Pro. xxvii. 9.-Rev. viii. 3, 4.

THE extraordinary perfections of spices and perfume, by their powerful qualities and virtues, as blessings to man, faintly shadow forth "the ointment of his right hand which bewrayeth itself." Even books anointed with the oil of spice, cloves especially, are preserved from damp, mildew, and mouldiness.

THREE SHADOWS OF A GREAT ROCK.

The Bush. Exo. iii. 2, &c.

The Cluster of Grapes.

Num. xiii. 23, 24, &c.

The Fleece. Jud. vi. 37–40.

THESE all shadow one substance, the one great sacrifice for human sin: but vary as to their effect upon humanity. The burning bush, and the bush not consumed, exemplify wrath and mercy-The cluster of grapes, love and example-Dew on the fleece, and dry on the fleece, ransom and life.

"And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush and he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed."

"The bush is an emblematical representation of the Son of God in his human nature, bearing the wrath of God in the room of the redeemed.”*

*The above having been long in the writer's possession, memory refuses to find the owner; and lest a plagiarism should be committed, it is placed in inverted

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In Deut. xxxiii. 13, 16, we read, "blessed of the LORD be his land for the good-will of Him that dwelt in the bush ;" in Luke, ii. 14-according with the early promise beautifully fulfilled.-"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men." See Acts, vii. 35. And let us 66 turn aside and see this great sight," this grand sight, this glorious sight, for the eye of faith to behold—it is Jesus! Let us put off our shoes from off our feet, let us not stand in our own righteousness, in token of entire submission to the LORD's name and memorial, for ever to all generations—“ I AM.”

THE CLUSTER OF GRAPES.

"And they came unto

the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff." See Num. xiii. 23.

A Branch cut down with one cluster of grapes, a figurative representation of the Mediator, suffering the just anger of God instead of the guilty. Gen. xlix. 11. -Isa. lxv. 8.

"The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence." Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself." "He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken." Jesus came for our example, teaching us to crucify earthly desires: bring not up an evil report of the land, it is "a delightsome land;" "let us go up at

once and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it," in the Name of Jesus.

This is one of the loveliest shadows of Redemption; combining love, union, and example. Forty days was our Lord fasting, and tempted for his rebellious sons to bring them to glory. "And they returned from searching of the land after forty days." Christ "passed over the brook." He was crucified between two thieves, which these men full well represent; for although they brought such rich evidence of the fruit of the land, they refused to dwell there; or in other words they rejected Jesus. He is the fruit of the land. He is the first ripe fruit. He is "the pure blood of the grape." Deut. xxxii. 14.

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"A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another." One cluster of grapes, typical of Christ and his people. "We being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." Rom. xii. 5.

A more beautiful and elegant figure of brotherly love and union, can hardly be found, than is to be met in a bunch of grapes, closely united to the stem-which is Christ, every grape supporting each other, and receiving its vital existence from union with THE Branch. Zec. vi. 12.-John, xv. 1, &c. How often have we seen a grape hastily pulled, has occasioned more to fall off." Let brotherly love continue," and "no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." See Psalm cxxxiii. 1, &c.-Hos. xiv. 6, 7;

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