tell you how he is regarded by man ?" By those who know him not, "he is despised and rejected:" but "to them that know him, he is precious p." What joy was excited in Abra- ham's heart, when he only got a glimpse of him, two thousand years before his incarnation i ! With what ecstatic fervour did the prophets call upon the whole creation to rejoice in the prospect of his advent r ! When he was come, and his excel- lencies were more fully known, his disciples " counted all things but clung for the knowledge of him8," and were ready, at all times, and in any manner, to lay down their lives for him*. There are multitudes also in the present day, in whose eyes he is " chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely11." But how will they express their admiration of him in the day when " he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believex!" In heaven too, when all that have eaten of his fruits, and felt the healing efficacy of his leaves, shall surround that " tree of life," and unite in ascribing to it their whole salvation ; what " a plant of renown" will it then appear !]
As God has fulfilled to us this gracious promise, and raised up for us this plant of renown, let us consider,
II. Our duty towards him —
In allusion to the metaphor, of which we ought not to lose sight, it may be observed, that we should,
1. Abide under his shadow —
[Many are the storms and tempests to which we are exposed, and from which nothing but this tree can shelter us. It is planted on purpose that it may be " an hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, and the shadow of a great rock in a weary landy." If we flee to him, we are as safe as the Israelites were in their blood-sprinkled houses, from the sword of the destroying angel2. When " God shall rain down fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest on the wicked3," we shall have no cause for fear ; for " though a thousand shall fall on our side, and ten thousand at our right handb," " no evil whatsoever shall befall us ;" " he will cover us with his foliage ; and his truth shall be our shield and buckler." Let us then draw nigh to him ; and we shall experience the blessedness of
p 1 Pet. ii. 7. i John viii. 56. r Isai. xliv. 23.
s Phil. iii. 8. l Acts xx. 24. u Cant. v. 10, 10.
x 2 Thess. i. 10. y Isai. xxxii. 2. z Exod. xii. 21 — 23.
* Ps. xi. G. b Ps. xci. 1, 4, 7, 10.