entire city of the old Jerusalem, and the new Jerusalem, here spoken of, to be more spacious than all the land of Canaan, the whole vision of this prophecy must be figurative—it cannot, by any possibility, be understood literally.

This

Seven chapters having been occupied in the description of the intended spiritual temple, in the eighth (which is the 47th chapter of Ezekiel) we are introduced to a remarkable adjunct of the temple read from 1st verse to 12th verse. strange, abundant, and enriching stream of waters is thus described in the text: "These waters issue out towards the East country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea-brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed."

mony of the internal arrangements of the the church-he may say how fair-how splendid-how beautiful-how spacious! would we be right to day, if we give our attention merely to the edifice, and overlook the great Indweller? Shall we in compunction hereafter say, "Surely the Lord was there, and I knew it not? Yea, rather, let us now say, "the Lord is in his holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before him!" If you make this mistake (a fearful mistake in the present day), prizing the husk above the kernel-attending to details, and losing sight of principles flattered by novelty, and dazzled by architectural beauty, you will be as Ezekiel; and Ezekiel is a warning to the preacher especially, for you read in the 40th chapter, 4th verse, that Ezekiel was brought to see, and know, that he might teach others_" declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel." In the next verse, save one, we read, that Ezekiel was brought to the gate, or door, of the temple, and being engaged in surveying what was beautiful and architecturally grand, even while the threshold was measured, he did not see what was at the threshold at his very feet, even that which was of more importance than the temple itself: refer now to the 47th chapter 1st verse, "Afterward he brought me AGAIN unto the door of the house, and behold waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward." might have passed the door repeatedly "Praise God from whom all blessings flow!" before, but it was not till now he per"Every good and every perfect gift,ceived the tricklings of a little stream is from above, and cometh down from rising from the threshold of the temple; the Father of lights!" Man is slow to its origin, or source, was unknownperceive-slow to acknowledge this; he coming from the temple and rising from may be attentive to the beautiful exterior the ground, its origin was mysterious—its of the church or temple, or to the har- derivation was referable to God: such a

The goodness of God and the riches of his grace, are here pourtrayed; however men may differ in the interpretation of the prophecy, all will agree that there is designated here a "mighty outgoing of blessing." That we may be enabled to attain profit in our consideration of the subject, let us enquire

1. Whence do those blessings flow.
2. Whither do they flow, and to what

end?

3. Our duty in acknowledging and cherishing them.

I. FROM WHence do tHESE BLESSINGS FLOW?

Bishop Ken's hymn answers the question

He

stream was not connected with Solomon's | Spirit of God can do, and will do, when once permitted to go forth from a temple reared to the glory of God. By what a speaking lesson was Ezekiel taught? His heavenly guide led him forth along that fair, and growing, and mysterious stream (3rd verse) measuring as he went one thousand cubits; and then he and Ezekiel crossed the stream to the opposite side, at which time of crossing, the water only reached their ankles. In the 4th verse we read, the heavenly architect measured one thousand cubits more; they re-crossed the stream to the opposite bank, and now found that the waters had risen to the knees; another like measurement, and the river was crossed once more, at which time the rapidly encreasing waters had reached to the loins; once more there is a measurement one thousand cubits, when Ezekiel declares in the 5th verse, "it was a river I could not pass over, for the waters were risen-waters to swim in-a

temple-it is true, a stream of water was turned into it to cleanse the sacrifices and purify the temple, but the stream which Ezekiel witnessed, was not flowing into the temple, but flowing from it. The stream was the Spirit of God vouchsafed to man through the atoning merits of Jesus. The Spirit of God dwells in the church, and goes forth from the church to the vallies and the mountains-to the mansions and cottages of the land: the Spirit of God went forth from Jerusalem as the infantine tricklings of a mountain spring, blessing man while yet man was scarce conscious of its existence :-how little is this well-spring of life noticed? how few look upon a church in this beautiful light ?-the waters of God bubbling forth, rushing out at the door, and swelling and brightening over the moral landscape, till the whole city of God shouts for joy: and so it is a doleful consequence, when men notice not the existence of the spiritual blessing-they | river that could not be passed over!” prize it not—they know not its power— its out-goings its blessings. To day we want Christ to be present in the temple-we want the mysterious Spirit to arise and burst forth upon the landwe hope yet to go forth and trace it yea, it may be already traced here in the assembly of the people of God, some of whom, connected with this happy congregation, have already found Christ precious, and the Spirit precious to their souls! The well-spring of life which Ezekiel saw, sprang forth spontaneous and unimpeded in its course; but Ezekiel, and all who read this prophecy, were to be taught a lesson, namely, not to underrate the Spirit of God-nay, to set no bounds to their expectations of what the

Here is wisdom!-here is the type of a Gospel going forth over a wide world— a Gospel abounding-incomprehensible, and still developing deeper and deeper blessings! Here is wisdom and the type of a Gospel preached in the house of God-the Spirit accompanying it—the conversion of souls increasing the mani. festation of sanctification developing itself more and more through the surrounding lands. Here is wisdom! for thus does grace begin in the heart of the humble follower of the Lord at first scarcely felt-scarcely perceptible_then growing and filling the bosom; the Spirit of adoption witnessing with his spirit that he is God's dear child-until, at length, his "peace is as a river," and he is filled

with what the Apostle emphatically calls for meat, and the leaf thereof for me"all the fullness of God." dicine!" (compare Rev. xxii. 1, 2.) Here we have the passage of Isaiah (lxi. 3,) brought before us—" trees of righteousness, planting of the Lord." These are the worshipping, spiritual people of God: so are they described in the 1st Psalm, they shall be profitable to all around—leaves and fruits will be unfading and abundant—the “leaves” representing their precious conversations the "fruit" their good works—"yea, thus shall the people be blessed who fear the Lord!"

It was in the time of the greatest depression of the church, that Ezekiel was permitted to see this mystical river; it is now, in our church's greatest depression, that we are permitted to see the Spirit of God arising from places long neglected and unnoticed; what heart will refuse to see the hand of God, giving the "water of life freely?”—what heart will refuse to "drink and live for ever?" Surely they, who know and feel these things, are bound to give gladsome testimonyall who have drank

"Of Siloa's brook that flowed Fast by the oracle of God."

All who hear such things may naturally desire to have a share in them, they must then be told whither proceed those waters, which go forth from the temple, and this we may learn by asking the question—

II. WHITHER DO THEY FLOW, AND TO WHAT END? The text says, "down into

It is a delightful duty to direct all to look to this heavenly fountain—it is delightful to lead forth our fellow-men, and to bid them trace its origin and its leadings to point to those who have the desert and into the sea." The name made experiment of the bounty and life-desert' was applied by the ancients not giving resources of God's streams of only to any place that was barren and love, and who show forth the beauty of solitary, but also wherever there was any holiness in their lives; such persons are great intervening space between one city ever found desirous to approach and and another, that they called desert.' participate in the privileges of the Sanc- By desert we understand those places tuary-they abide close to the ordinances which have no spiritual culture, no seed of God. The types of such faithful men sown, and consequently no fruits appearwere exhibited to Ezekiel; and you finding: wherever this is the case, there

mention made of them in the 7th verse: "Behold at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other." And again, in the 12th verse, "And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed, it shall bring forth new fruit according to his month, be. cause their waters they issued out of the Sanctuary, and the fruit thereof shall be

must be a spiritual famine, and however disastrous the literal famine may be regarded, yet, in the word of God, the spiritual famine is exhibited as one of the greatest visitations which can fall upon the sons of men-thus Amos viii. 11. "Behold the days come saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord!" this is a most awful state for any portion of the earth to be left in—there

·

Satan must reign triumphant, there is the | and vilest-yea, every heart is capable of "shadow of death!" every place that being overcome by the Spirit of God, lacks Gospel and ministerial oversight save and except that heart which resists faithfully administered, is a desert, each all testimony-mocks at the doctrine of heart that knows not God is a desert; a Holy Spirit, and thereby commits the 'things rank and gross in nature possess unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost! it merely:" the heart of man is a moral The text illustrates the prevalency of the wilderness, a decaying city, a house top- Holy Spirit when going forth not only to pling to ruin. Each man needs to be the desert,'-but even to the sea ;' now converted to be sanctified-the Spirit of we are enabled to know what sea is here God goes down to such a desert bringing meant by the names mentioned in the life and health in its train; the Spirit of 10th, Engedi and Eneglaim; these God does wonders in the desert heart, were places, Engedi on the one side, and making the "wilderness to blossom as the Eneglaim on the other of the dead sea. rose; however barren, however unfruit- The dead sea occupied a space of some ful the heart may have been, in times twenty-four miles long by six or seven past, yet when the healing waters from miles broad- (it covered a space which the fountain cleanse and refresh the heart, might have included Belfast, Downpatrick, what a change takes place! what changes Saintfield and Killyleagh) and in fact ha ve taken place in the hearts of many four towns stood formerly where that awful individuals, the cold careless pharisaical sea now lifts its murky head; Deut. xxix. protestant feels that something beyond 23. tells us that the names of these four mere profession is demanded-the young cities were Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah man learns to trust not in youth, strength and Zeboim with Sodom we are apt to or beauty-the old man hastens to seek connect an idea of great crimes—yea, the ere he go hence and be no more most abominable offences. The causes peace seen" the proud become humble-the which God points out as having led to rich become poor in spirit—the fatherless his displeasure against Sodom, are somefeel protection and courage the sorrowtimes overlooked under the idea which is ful are made to rejoice, and the "widow's attached to the fearful abominations of heart to sing for joy!" that place- Vide Ezekiel xvi. 49. "Behold this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy." So it was not only unmentionable offences that hastened destruction upon that devoted city, but the aggregate of offences common and prevalent in our day as in the days of Sodom. Great and universal were the sins of various shades which were visited with the fires of heaven, and over whose participators were shed the waters

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It is the proclaiming to man his utter sinfulness, and asking why will you die? it is the pointing to Christ and him crucified, it is the call for penitential confession to God, it is the proclamation of mercy to all the most sinful and the most abandoned, that brings with it, through the Holy Spirit, wonderful results. Such are its effects when its waters flow upon the amiable, the moral, the careless and the gay; but still more, as the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin," so the Spirit of God goes forth to the lowest