"Deep strike thy roots, O heavenly Vine! Within our earthly sod, Most human and yet most divine, The flower of man and God." -WHITTIER. THE VINE. I. LIFE. IN the plan of this parable the Teacher assigns to the Father the cultivation of the Vine, the office of the husbandman. To His disciples He apportions the branches, the leafage, and the fruit: Jesus Christ Himself therefore is the vital stock. The root and stem of the "pleasant plant" are intended to represent what He is unto all "them that believe on His name." These define the relation in which He stands, alike to the individual believer and to the whole body of redeemed ones, of which His Church consists, and of whom He speaks in marvellous complacency of love as "those whom the Father hath given Me." From the root, and through the stem of the vine proceed all the living, quickening and expand ing forces that make the tree a thing of beauty, life and fruit. Herefrom and hereby alone, come growth and foliage, blossom and grapes. What that subtle force in the vine is that we call life, the keenest scientific skill can neither discover nor explain. But we know that it has its place of power, and exerts its secret strength among the hidden portions of the tree which lie beneath the soil. We know, that like the flimsy blades of corn that mocked the sower's hopes on "stony ground," if it come to have no root, it must " wither away." From the root comes life, in the root is life, and from the root comes food and nourishment to sustain the life. The furthest twig, the uttermost leaflet, as well as the larger branches with their rush of leaves, has each a pulse of life set in motion, and kept in action by direct communication with the living parent root-pulse down below. Without the root both the lesser and the greater could do nothing, nothing but fail and wither and die. The Divine lesson taught herein is clear, definite, and complete. The Christian's life, the life that hath come to the soul, once dead in trespasses and sins, is "hidden in Christ." The indwelling force, the potent mystery, the vital secret that makes him alive to God, is the quickening presence and allpervading influence of the Spirit of Christ. "As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given the Son to have life in Himself, and the Son quickeneth whom He will." That is to say, This Divine Root hath the Father planted in the dry ground of our humanity, in order that He may 66 وو give life unto all them that believe; a life which is divine, a life which inspires, purifies, beautifies and fructifies the soul, and which for ever expands and strengthens without limitation and without ultimate decay. That this life might be ours, that it might be in us, that having it we might live in the light and love of God for ever, Jesus died! On the cross of death He regained for us the lapsed and forfeited crown of life. Golgotha and the grave were entered for us by our Immanuel, and out of them He brought for us a resurrection glory; because He lives, we shall live also, shall live by Him, live in Him, live with Him, the risen Christ! O sacred cross! O tree of death! O cross with sorrow rife! On thee Christ yielded up His breath; I come the burdened cross beneath And find the Tree of Life! B |