September 24

I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished and the pomegranates budded. - Song of Solomon 6:11.

THERE are three kinds of trees spoken of here. There are, first, nuts: indeed, it is called “a garden of nuts.” These trees abounded here, and formed rows, shady walks, and yielded fruit. Nuts are a very common and yet a very agreeable fruit, and very nutritious. Some, however, question whether hazel-nuts are here intended, or those of the almond kind. However this may be, here are also vines; and of these there are many species. There is nothing remarkable in the appearance of a vine. It is noticed for weakness; its tendrils always require support and to be sustained, and there they lean and flourish. But it is famous for fruit; and, indeed, but for this it would be good for little, for there is nothing valuable that can be made out of its wood; and, as Ezekiel says, were it not for its fertility it would be only fit for the fire. But nothing can equal its luxuriousness and fertility. And then we have pomegranates, concerning which we may observe, there is nothing of stateliness in its growth, but its blossoms are large, and the apples are exceedingly beautiful, and of a reddish colour without and within; and we may see how these trees were valued by the frequency of the reference to them in this song, and by Moses calling the land of Canaan “a land of vines, and fig-trees, and pomegranates.”

The high priests’ long robe was to have attached to it, alternately, a golden bell and a pomegranate. Thus Moses said, “Beneath, upon the hem of it, thou shalt make the pomegranate of blue, and of purple and scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about, a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.” And on the network which covered the two pillars of the temple, Jachin and Boaz, there were no less than two hundred thousand flowers of pomegranate courses. But, without making a comparison between Christians and these trees and vines and pomegranates, though they may all have their appropriate significancy, we find, however these trees may differ from each other, that all of them are actually growing in the same garden, having been placed there by the same Owner; and, however distinguished from each other, they stand in the very same state, and are in the same relation to him and to each other.

We learn from hence that we should not look for every kind of fruit from the same individual,-that we are not to go to the nutbush for grapes, or to the vine for the pomegranate. We cannot expect to find all these fruits upon the same tree: it is enough if each bear according to his kind. And we should not envy any, or wish to fill their places or to enjoy their opportunities, but use and improve our own talents; and those who have only one, and use and improve it, God will regard them as approvingly as if they had five. For “the Lord looketh to the heart;” and, where this is towards him, he accepts us according to what we have, and not according to what we have not.

Only we should remember the commendation he bestowed on Mary,-“She hath done what she could,”-and be concerned to gain the approving sentence which he pronounced upon one of the churches:- “Thou hast laboured, and hast not failed. I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works, and the last to be more than the first.”

“Honour and shame from no condition rise:

Act well thy part, there all true honour lies.”