of the precautions of religion and the rules of duty, we have reason to believe, that he who thus thinketh he standeth will soon fall. R. HALL.

THE name of the fig-tree is familiar to our earliest recollections, but that species mentioned Gen. iii. 7, has been supposed by some to be the banana-tree, famous for the size of its leaves. The fig-tree of Palestine is among its chief vegetable productions, and among the first to shoot forth its leaves in spring, even while the winter crop of fruit is often hanging on its boughs. See Mark xi. 12-14. The early figs soon appear, and if they are not visible by March or April, it is known that none will ripen that year; this is the case even with fig-trees in the south of TRACT MAG. THIRD SERIES, NO. 142, OCT., 1845. L

England, where they will grow, and also in many other parts of Europe, but they are unknown in the northern parts of Britain. Many interesting passages of Scripture refer to this common but delicious fruit. Luke xiii. 6-9, is one of the most solemn and affecting parables recorded from the lips of the blessed Saviour; how plain and simple were the lessons that he taught, how familiar to the minds of the meanest of his hearers! Well might the common people "hear him gladly," though some of these, indeed, were cut down as unfruitful trees in the vineyard of the Lord. Other texts, Jer. xxiv. 1-8; Judg. ix. 11; 1 Sam. xxv. 18, xxx. 12; 2 Kings xx. 7, might also be quoted. Many of these refer to the second or summer figs, which were dried in clusters, and often sent to a distance.

The sycamore fig-tree must not be confounded with the great maple-tree called in Britain the sycamore. That mentioned in Luke xix. 4, and Amos vii. 14, resembles the mulberry in its leaves and the fig-tree in its fruits; its name is therefore compounded of both. Travellers speak of it as most common in Egypt, where the stem is sometimes fifty feet thick. It was used by the ancient Egyptians for making boxes, tables, doors, etc., as well as idols and statues, being perhaps the chief sort of timber they had. So different were the vegetable productions of Egypt and Canaan, Isa. xliv. 14; Deut. xi. 10-12. Naturalists also mention that this tree required to be scarified with an iron instrument before the fruit would ripen, and in this work the honest herdsman Amos seems to have been engaged till he received from God the commission to the office of a prophet: frequent reference may be traced in his writings to the sights and scenes with which he had been familiar.

The early kings of Judah paid attention to the growth of this useful tree, 1 Chron. xxvii. 28, but in more luxurious times the cedar was often substituted for it, 1 Kings x. 27; Isaiah ix. 10. Scripture shows that this plant, like every other natural object, is subject to the will of its Creator, and could in a moment be removed or destroyed, to show forth his power and greatness, Psalm lxxviii. 47, Luke xvii. 6. How vain then are the attempts of those who slight and disregard the warnings of the Most High,

THE SPIRITUAL CHEMIST.

THE SPIRITUAL CHEMIST.

MEDITATION X.-UPON THE PALPITATION OF THE HEART.

183

THE pearl which in the oyster is a disease, in the cabinet is a jewel of rich value, and in the ear an ornament of an orient beauty; and such a thing is this trembling or palpitation of the heart; in the body it is a sad malady, in the soul it is an heavenly grace. They who are afflicted with the one, seek earnestly to the physician for a cure; and they who want the other, importune God to obtain it from him as a blessing, when once they know the excellency and worth of it. Who is the favorite of Heaven, with whom the High and Lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, will dwell? And to whom he will look with an eye of protec tion, with an eye of care and delight? Is it not to him that is of a contrite heart, and that trembleth at his word? Who is the best saint on earth? Is it not he who useth most diligence to work out his salvation with fear and trembling? All duties are best done when accompanied with this holy trembling. Prayer and confessions of sins are never better made, than when we imitate those penitents in Ezra, who sat trembling in the street of the house of God. The word is never more awfully received as the will and command of a great king, than when received as the elders of Bethlehem did Samuel, who trembled at his coming. Oh, methinks I cannot without wonder read how Paul lived among the Corinthians, in fear and much trembling, as sensible of the weight of his ministry; and how they again received Titus, Paul's messenger, with the like affection, not entertaining him with costly banquets, with court-like salutations, but with fear and trembling; which is the highest respect that can be shown to the doctrine of Christ. Yea, the supper of the Lord itself, though it be a feast of love, in which Christ, who is all love, is the chief and only dish that a soul hath to feed upon, is best celebrated with a Divine trembling, which may correct our joy, and keep it from degenerating into a carnal mirth. sparkling rays of light which are reflected from the polished diamond, are much beautified by those tremulous motions which the eye beholds in the stone. And so spiritual joy receives no little addition of lustre and sweetness, by the mixtures of trembling that appear in it. How great then

The

is the folly and wickedness of those sons of Belial, who scoff at the awful behaviour which any exercise in the services of God? as Michal did at David's dancing before the ark, as if it were nothing but pusillanimity, which would beseem children better than Christians, who startle often at their own groundless imaginations. But are the angels cowards, who tremble in the presence of God? Is it any thing unbecoming them who continually stand in his presence to express a fear of him, as well as love unto him? How then can it be indecent for worthless creatures to serve the great Jehovah with a holy awe and fear of his majesty? O God, I am conscious unto myself how little all my duties have been intervened with this Divine grace. I have prayed before thee, but not trembled; I have received a law from thy mouth, but I have not feared thee, the Great Lawgiver, nor trembled at thy commands. I have heard often of thee by the hearing of the ear, yet I have not abhorred myself. And therefore I humbly beg of thee, that thou wouldest help me to sanctify thy name in my heart, and to make thee my fear, and my dread; that so I may neither abuse thy mercy, nor yet provoke thy justice.

"WHAT A FOOL I HAVE BEEN!"

SOME years ago I visited an aged man, named Moses, on whom, I was told, it had pleased the Spirit of God to work a marvellous change. He had gained his livelihood by retailing coal; and I well remember the fear I had of meeting him when I was a child; for his grim visage, blackened with coal, and his dirty appearance, gave him a heathenish look, very unlike the other villagers. He was then a bad man, and utterly careless about his soul; but at length, it pleased God to lay heavy afflictions upon him. The loss of his wife and all his children, one only excepted, with increasing age, infirmity, and sickness, made him to remember his iniquity, and to be sorry for his sin. I found him sitting at a table in the little room to which he was chiefly confined, with a few books before him. He was washed, "and in his right mind." Truly the devil was gone out of him, and he sat at the feet of Jesus, as gentle and teachable as a child.