150 THE CHRISTIAN NATURALIST. 



purest grain should have been reared and nourished to its 

 splendid maturity. This is, indeed, one of the greatest 

 mysteries of the natural world j and the process of ve- 

 getation eludes the researches of the wisest philosopher. 

 It is only from experience, that the cultivator of the 

 fields can trace out and predict the result ; and in the 

 kingdom of grace and glory, is it not equally a matter 

 of surprise, that man, a plant of the earth, should be des- 

 tined to bring fruit immortal and heavenly ? — that he 

 should be quickened from dead works, and made a new 

 creature in Christ Jesus; — that though he is condemned 

 to vegetate amidst the bondage of corruption, and lives 

 in the midst of a carnal and impure world, these things 

 are not permitted to destroy his fruitfulness, but ra- 

 ther contribute to promote it, by stimulating his ze al , 

 faith, and love to more vigorous exercises, so that 

 " where sin abounded grace does much more abound ;" 

 thus converting and sanctifying things originally defiled 

 to holy uses ; " confounding the wisdom of the wise :" 

 and, as in the first ages of the church, so in every 

 subsequent period, " putting the treasures of the Gos- 

 pel in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the 

 power may be of God." 



2ndly. Through what vicissitudes has the present Har- 



