ay: first by their
beneficence, and then by their endurance--the grass of the earth, in
giving the seed of corn, and in its beauty under tread of foot and
stroke of scythe; and the grass of the waters, in giving its freshness
for our rest, and in its bending before the wave. But, understood in
the broad human and Divine sense, the "_herb_ yielding seed"--(as
opposed to the fruit tree yielding fruit)--includes a third family of
plants, and fulfils a third office to the human race. It includes the
great family of the lints and flaxes, and fulfils thus the _three_
offices of giving food, raiment, and rest. Follow out this fulfilment;
consider the association of the linen garment and the linen embroidery
with the priestly office and the furniture of the tabernacle, and
consider how the rush has been to all time the first natural carpet
thrown under the human foot. Then next observe the three virtues
definitely set forth by the three families of plants--not arbitrarily
or fancifully associated with them, but in all the three cases marked
for us by Scriptural words: 1st. Cheerfulness, or joyful serenity; in
the grass for food and beauty--"Consider the lilies of the field, how
they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin." 2nd. Humility; in the
grass for rest--"A bruised reed shall he not break." 3rd. Love; in the
grass for clothing, (because of its swift kindling,)--"The smoking
flax shall he not quench." And then finally observe the confirmation
of these last two images in, I suppose, the most important prophecy,
relating to the future state of the Christian Church, which occurs in
the Old Testament, namely that contained in the closing chapters of
Ezekiel. The measures of the Temple of God are to be taken; and
because it is only by charity and humility that those measures ever
can be taken, the angel has "a line of _flax_ in his hand, and a
measuring reed." The use of the line was to measure the land, and of
the reed to take the dimensions of the buildings; so the buildings of
the church, or its labours, are to be measured by humility; and its
territory, or land, by love.

58. LEAVES motionless. The strong pines wave above them, and the weak
grasses tremble beside them; but the blue stars rest upon the earth
with a peace as of heaven; and far along the ridges of iron rock,
moveless as they, the rubied crests of Alpine rose flush in the low
rays of morning.

59. MOSSES.--Meek creatures! the first mercy of the earth,