Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 edition. Excerpt: ... MEDITATION IV. $>aUoxvcbness. Every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit. Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you.--St . John xv. 2, 3. 1. The Uncircumcised Tree. 'Every branch that beareth fruit, My Father purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.' The pruning of the vine is spoken as a purging. The natural pride of the plant has to be overcome. It must bear the knife of mortification. Thus shall it become 'clean.' This purification seems to refer to the Levitieal law, by which a tree was considered for three years to be uncircumeised; then in the fourth year it was to be given for Divine rejoicing, and in the fifth year the people might eat the fruit thereof (Lev. xix. 23). The three years have reference to the three days of Christ's grave. What is risen with Christ becomes fruitful to God. Every branch, thereforo, in Christ needs to share His crucifixion, in order to have the fellowship of His risen glory. Fruitfulness requires the knife for its proper development as well as the virtue of the sap. So it is not enough for us to have the grace of Christ unless we feel the disciplinary power of His Cross. Indeed, tho pruner of the vine marks the points at VOL. ii. Pt. n. c which ho would have tho bunches of grapes. So God, by the sufferings of holy discipline, brings out in each one of His people those special fruits of holiness with which He desires to enrich His Church. Pruning away tho natural vivacity is thus, as it were, the purifying of the plant. We must always be on our watch not to mistake natural exuberance for spiritual fruitfulness. That which has the taint of pride is unclean. No natural excellence as such can find its recognition in tho kingdom of...