sin, though not from its harassing influence; sin is thus like a deposed tyrant, ever striving to regain possession of his former cruel lordly sway; freedom from the impositions which the despotism and superstition of men would impose upon us and lastly, freedom in prospect from all manner of sin and sorrow in the heavenly kingdom above. It may well then be called a "glorious liberty," since such are its fruits. Luther, who knew it well, by contrast with the terrible bond. age in which he describes himself to have been long detained, thus sums up its advantages: "And certainly this christian liberty swalloweth up at once and taketh quite away the whole heap of evils, the law, sin, death, God's wrath, and briefly the serpent himself with his head and whole power, and in the stead thereof it placeth righteousness, peace, and everlasting life. Blessed is he that understandeth and believeth." London. G. P. Exposition. REALIZED SECURITY; Or a brief reply to the request of "A little one" on Micah iv. 4, in July number of the Gospel Herald, vol. 15, page 167. tribes of Israel shewing the invasion of them, and their entire capture, breaking up, and captivity altogether as a kingdom; and this part is supposed to have been delivered in the days of Jotham, king Here appears no sort of difficulty of Judah, and Pekah, king of Israel, as to the meaning of our text, for a short time before the invasion of the words, in a manner not far off Israel by Tiglath-pileser, king of the evident meaning of them, are Assyria, 2 Kings xv. 29. frequently on the lips of the peo- the third chapter from the fourth ple of God in their prayers, thank verse, is supposed to have been ing him for the great favour, that delivered in the early part of the they can now "sit every man under reign of Hezekiah, and was directed his vine and under his fig tree, and immediately against Judah and none shall make them afraid.' Jerusalem, declaring their entire The contents of this prophesy by dispersion as a nation, saying, Micah were delivered upwards of "Therefore shall Zion for your seven hundred years before the, sake be ploughed as a field," verse birth of Christ. The first chapter was a sort of general denouncement of approaching judgments upon both Israel and Judah for their idolatry and other corresponding wickedness. And the second chapter and the first four verses of the third chapter which appear to be inseparable, were directed immediately against the ten 12; and which was the means concerning the spiritual kingdom and church of God in gospel times, and more especially in regard to the last days, prosperity, extent, peace, and safe quietude, in which, under the conduct of a kind Provi. dence, together with special grace, the people of God shall worship and maintain their godly principles of revealed truth and devout exercises, without molestation or hinderance from the unrighteously meddling hand of persecution; even as we now in England are defended by law in our worship of God according to the individual right of personal dictates of conscience, and as the church will be in all lands at once, before the end of time comes. ritual kingdom and establishment on the earth, is called "The mountain of the house of the Lord ;" and which with our God, ever stands first and foremost, for "his kingdom. ruleth over all." Psalm ciii. 19. In verse 2, "Many nations," or many people of all nations shall enquire and come to the knowledge and acknowledgment of the truth, and so "to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob." And the reason why they shall come, is, that the Lord will send for them, fetch them, and gather them, to have mercy on them, as his peculiar, chosen, redeemed, and adopted own. "For the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord Heavier national judgments, in from Jerusalem," Isaiah xi. 2, 3, more awfully solemn forms, per- 4. "I will say to the north, Give haps were never delivered, than up, and to the south, Keep not are contained in the first three back; bring my sons from far, and chapters of this prophecy against my daughters from the ends of the the sins of Israel and Judah; and earth," Isaiah xliii. 6. "I will perhaps there is not to be found gather all nations and tongues, within the same limits, a more and they shall come and see my profusely rich and comprehensively glory." Isaiah lxvi. 18. In verse full prophetic breaking forth of the 3, the Lord will in his own time divine mind in the abundance of and way, visit, judge among, and his manifold grace, like the clear. rebuke many people and strong naest sun instantly migrating from tionsafar off, and they shall change behind the most black, dismal, their habits of life, from cruel and and obscuring clouds, than in this remorseless warfare, into those of fourth chapter of Micah's pro- the employment of the humble, phecy. In verse 1, we have the peaceful, harmless, social and publicity and spiritual dignity of useful ploughshares and pruning the church of God, saying, "The hooks, instead of the wasteful, mountain of the house of the Lord molesting, fearful, and destructive shall be established in the top of sword. And then our text goes the mountains, and it shall be on most simply, though beauti exalted above the hills." By a fully to state the happy results, figure of speech, or figurative way both civil and religious, of this of speaking, kingdoms, civil go- change and of this wide diffusion vernments, and ecclesiastical estab- of the first common, and then lishments are called mountains special disposition, spirit and and hills, and according to which temper, of the truth and gospel the church of God, which is his spi- of the God of grace, mercy and peace, so that for peace, liberty and safety, "They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid ;" and which was a common saying among the Jews for those times of peace, safety and liberty, when they could go at large through their land, and enjoy its every advantage without fear or danger from any invading enemy in their land. tree, Isaiah xli. 19; "They shall be called trees of righteousness," Isaiah Ixi. 3, "to beautify the place of my sanctuary, and I will make the place of my feet glorious," Isaiah Ix. 13. Second. Trees were a figure of Christ, as the rose tree, Cant. ii. 1; the apple tree of sweet shade and fruitfulness, Cant. ii. 3; the goodly cedar, Ezek. xvii. 23; and as in the New Testament, the The Jews, by the covenant vine, John xv. 1; and the tree God made with Abraham for of life, Rev. xxii. 2. Third. The them before they were born, and trained vine and fig tree, for with them when they came out shade and fruit, being places of of Egypt, in regard to the pro-retirement, for air, thought, readmised land of Canaan as their in- ing, entertainment, and someherita .ce, were as a people a fi- times of prayer, with the Jews, as gure of the spiritual and eternally in the case of Nathaniel, John saved church of God, in their i. 48; these, as in our text, are standing by the covenant of life used as figures of the privileges and peace made with Christ for of the gospel; as that of the asthem, and then with them, when semb!ng of the saints together for quickened by the Holy Spirit, and the mutual worship of God, of convinced of their sins and lost es-churches planted together in the tate, they are prepared to hear, faith of the gospel, where the receive and embrace, for the life gospel of the grace of God and of their souls, the graciously pro- free salvation is preached, the claimed contents thereof, in the ordinances of the New Testament name, blood and righteousness of are observed, administered and Christ, with a humble amen joy maintained, and prayer, praise of heart, Psalm 1. 5. And the and thanksgiving a e conducted land of Canaan itself was a figure in the name and fear of the Lord, also of the gospel, and promised while the free exercise in all the inheritance of the true and spi-private means of worship and deritual church of God. And the votion may be justly included. produce of the land of Canaan And sitting here, may denote a was also a figure of gospel bless- humbled subjugation of mind to ings and privileges, and is fre- the obedience of faith, Rom. i. 5, quently so taken up and used by a humble readiness to receive the the inspired pen; and among words of Christ, the words of his other things, the trees of the land, mouth and of eternal life, Deut. and which were, first, a figure of xxxiii. 3; Luke x. 39; fixedness the saints themselves, as the wil- of heart and settlement of hope, lows, Isaiah xliv. 4; the cedar, trusting in the Lord, Psalm the shitler tree, the myrtle, cxii. 7; thoughtfulness in divine Zec. i, 8, 10, 11; the oil tree, things, Psalm xlviii. 9, and methe fir tree, the pine, and the box ditation, Psalm lxxvii. 12, 13. Under the vine and fig tree, may and principles of the gospel, en denote the entertainment, plea- deavouring to keep the unity of sure and profit, with the Lord's the Spirit in the bond of peace, blessing, found in the gospel in- as to be helpers of each other's stitutions of our Lord Jesus joy. Christ: "I sat under his shadow And none shall make them with great delight, and his fruit afraid, denoting, 1. Confidence was sweet to my taste," Cant. in the care of God beyond the ii. 3; Psalm cxix. 105, 111. fear of foes, 2. Real safety from Every man, every God-fearing any danger or hurt to be man, the members of the spiritual feared. 3. And more especially body, "every one of them," peaceable times, as free from the 1 Cor. xii. 18, the every man to molestation of persecution, as in whom the manifestations of the the peaceful days of Solomon, of Spirit are given to profit withal, which we read, "And he had verse 7, the same as the "self. peace on all sides round about same Spirit, dividing to every him, and Judah and Israel dwelt man, severally as he will," verse 11; safely, every man under his vine and the same as the apostle and under his fig tree, from Dan means, saying, "That we may even to Beer-sheba, all the days present every man perfect in of Solomon," 1 Kings iv. 24, 25. Christ Jesus," Col. i. 28, His Whereas, on the contrary to this, vine and fig tree, that is, those of we read that in the days, when his own choice and free pleasure, for their sins the Lord sold Israel and may denote,-1. Congrega- into the hand of Fabin, king of tional order as a matter of right, Canaan, Judges iv. 2, they could apart from and independent of not go out into the fields and the prescribed rules and assumed vineyards to sit under vines and authority of popes, synods, coun- fig trees, nor even dwell in the cils, state-bishops or parliaments. villages, as in Cant. vii. 11, nor 2. Liberty, personally to attend any where but in walled towns, by choice that ministry that is through fear of the foe and the most profitable, and with that oppressor, for the villages ceased, people with whom fellowship in Judges v. 7; the highways were the gospel is most enjoyed, and unoccupied, and travellers walkwhere God, in his wisdom and ed through bye-ways, not daring grace, is pleased most profitably to appear openly, verse 6. And and most sensibly to command what this was literally to typical his blessing on his own gospel Israel, persecution has been to the means and institutions, to the spiritual worshippers and people soul's spiritual advantage. 3. As of God, who have sometimes been denoting the equality of interest obliged to worship the Lord in. in the privileges of the gospel to close secrecy only, as in "deserts all the saints, old or young, weak and in mountains, and in dens, or strong, rich or poor, Micah and in caves of the earth," Heb. iv. 6, 7, no one having lordship xi. 28. How great, then, are the over another's faith or conscience; blessings of freedom promised in nevertheless, so striving together our text! And who can duly es for the faith, form of sound words, timate the portion assigned to us in tree, as by the figure of our text, none daring to make us afraid. And while we have the means, that many of the true worshippers of God for ages were not favoured to enjoy, God grant that we may never lack a heart for them, but possess the spirit of David to the end of our days, saying, "One thing have I desired, and that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple;" and also that there may never be any cause why the dear household of God should withdraw from me, or to make me leave them, until it be for heaven. this land, of this religious liberty? JOHN of Marylebone. Spiritual Things Illustrated by Outward Objects. THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS. "Creation groaneth, and travaileth in pain," Rom. viii. 22. put in force, to oppose the truth of Jesus. Therefore because the poor prisoners who were in the act of being taken over the Who has not heard of Venice, Bridge to this infernal spot, were the city of a thousand palaces? supposed to sigh over their apwith its tales of revelry and chi-proaching sentence, the Bridge valry; not unmixed with num- was emphatically called "The berless stories of ambition and Bridge of Sighs." blood? Let them pass; for we are not going to recount them. There is, however, one object in Venice, which takes the attention of the traveller, from its very name; for it is called "The Bridge of Sighs." At one end of this bridge stands the city; and at the other end, on the opposite side of the water, was the Inquisition. The latter, it is well known, was a place, where popish superstition and cruelty had their chief seat; and where every kind of fiendishness and torment was Reader, you are on this Bridge now, or you are not a mortal being: not the Bridge of Venice, it may be, but the Bridge of Life, with the water of time rolling beneath you; the city of the world at one end, and the inquisition of judgment at the other. Well, we do not propose to discourse concerning judgment to come. He who was wounded for o transgressions, and bruised f our iniquities, has gone befor and made that great account a straight; though he had to en AD |