is withered for lack of water (see eh. ii. 13). (4) Lonely. "In a saU land, and not inhabited." The soul that is separated from God is essentially solitary, deserted, desti- tute though immersed in the tumult of worldly society. II. Trm FLOURISHING TREE EXEMPLIFIES THE DLESSEDNESB OF TRUST IN Gon. 1 N otc the character of trust in God. (1) It is intelligent. It is trust in God revealed as Jehovah, as supreme, self-existent, eternal, known in the past for merciful helpful- ness. (2) It is whole-he,arted. It is a simple trust in God, not divided by partial worldly confidence. (3) It is hopeful. "Whose hope the Lord is," The strongest faith rises into hope. 2. Cousider the blessedness of this trust in God. (1) Full and flourishing life-a tree, not a shrub. He who trusts in God is not only endowed with external blessings, he is enlarged and developed in his own life. (2) Nourished and refreshed. Tile tree is planted by tile waters, etc. Trust in God brings and plants us near to the" river of life." (3) Secured against trouble. "And shall not see when heat cometh," etc. While the shrub derives no benefit from the most favourable weather, the tree planted by the water does not suffer from the most trying. Trust in God does not prevent the approach of trouble, but it fortifies us against suffering real harm from it. Hidden sources supply the Christian with spiritual nourishment when outwardly the heavens are as brass and the earth as iron. (4) Perpetual fruitfulness. "Neither shall cease from yielding fruit." Fruitfulness is a sign of health, perpetual fruitfulness of unbroken health. Fruitfulness is a blessing. The Christian is most blessed in being able ~o work for good, and to distribute blessings to others as the chief glory of the tree is its fruit-bearing, Vers. 9, 10.-The evil heart searched and judged, I. TBE EVIL OF THE HEART. 1. The most important question concerning a man is as to the state of his he,art-his thoughts, affections, intentions. In the heart we find the true man. The outer life is but the clothing and may be the mask of the man. From the heart spring all the actions of life. The character of the fountain determines that of the stream (Matt. xv. 18, 19). 2. The root of the evil of the heart is self-will. It is rugged above all things, proud, not compliant with God's will, wrapped up in self. 3. The character of the evil of the heart is desperate sickness, (1) Sickness, for sin is a disease of the soul, though one for which we are responsible, and it results in suffering, general derangement of life, and finally death; (2) desperate sickness, for sin is no simple scratch on the skin of life, no mere temporary functional disorder, but heart-disease, an organic constitutional disease, terrible in its present condition, alarming in its future prospects. 4. The evil of the heart is inscrutable to man. " Who can know it?" This is the case, (1) because we cannot read the hearts of our fellow-men, but only judge from external conduct, which is often deceptive; (2) because we are blinded to our own sin by pride, prejudice, and self-admiration ; (3) because there is an intricacy and subtlety about all wickedness which makes it difficult to trace it out, a shamefacedness that seeks concealment, and an essential falseness that belies its own nature; and (4) because the disease has made so great progress, has penetrated BO deeply, ramified so far, and infected every function of the soul BO completely, that it is beyond all measure. II. TBE DIVINE BEABCH AND JUDGMBNT. The heart is difficult to understand, but God thoroughly searches it. "Who can know it?" "I the Lord." 1. God searches and tries, (1) by his own silent, a.JI-penetrating gaze that detects the darkest secrets; and (2) by the outward action of providence in events v hich test a man's nature and reveal it to the world, for the judgment of God is ultimately open and with a. fair trial, that all may see and acquiesce in the righteousness of the sentence. 2. God knows the heart. The search is effectual. The trial is fruitful. God knows us, while the world is deceived. How foolish, then, to play the hypocrite I for it matters little what men think of us, but God's thoughts concerning us a.re of infinite moment. God will judge justly and reasonably, for he knows all. 3. God will administer judgment according to !he character of men's actions revealed by his searching and trying. God's knowledge 1s followed by his action. He is not simply a great contemplative Being. He has an arm to make bare for action as well as eyes to sea the evil and the good. Judgment will be for our actions, but according as these are read in the light of the state of out h~rt. God searches and gives to men according to their we.ye. This jndgmcnt is universal-" to every man," discriminating-to each "according to his ways," and <Jli. xvn. 1-27.] 'l'HE BOOK OF TH:g PltOPHET JErtEMIAH. 421
naturo.1-" according to the fruit of his doings, according to their natural products each in its own kind, so that men shall reap what they sow as by a law of nature. '