In my first letter I spoke of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, as represented by our Lord under the similitude of a living spring.  In my last I endeavored to show that the operation of the Spirit of God upon the heart is inseparably connected with the truth.  My present object will be to show the effects produced by both these agents acting together.  This is most beautifully described in the passages quoted above.  Here the Christian is represented under the similitude of a tree planted by the rivers of water.  The grace of God, or the Holy Spirit acting in unison with the word, to carry on the great work of regeneration and sanctification in the soul, is represented by the constant flowing of rivers of water.  This shows the abundance of the provision.  But a tree may stand so near a river as to be watered when it overflows its banks; and yet, if its roots only spread over the surface of the ground, and do not reach the bed of the river, it will wither in a time of drought.  This aptly represents the professor of religion who appears engaged and in earnest only during remarkable outpourings of the Spirit.  He is all alive and full of zeal when the river overflows, but when it returns to its ordinary channel, his leaf withers; and if a long season of spiritual drought follows, he becomes dry and barren, so that no appearance of spiritual life remains.  But, mark how different the description of the true child of God.  “He shall be as a tree planted by the rivers of water.”  This figure appears to have been taken from the practice of cultivating trees.  They are removed from the wild state in which they spring up, and their roots firmly fixed in a spot of ground cultivated and prepared, to facilitate their growth.  This planting well represents the fixed state of the renewed soul, as it settles down in entire dependence upon the word and Spirit of God, for nourishment and growth in grace.  But the figure is carried out still farther,—­“and spreadeth out her roots by the river.”  When the roots of the tree are spread out along the bed of the river, it will always be supplied with water, even when the river is low.  This steadiness of Christian character is elsewhere spoken of under a similar figure.  “The root of the righteous shall not be moved.”  “He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root.”  “Being rooted and grounded in love.”  Hence the prophet adds, that the heat and the drought shall not affect it; but its leaf shall be green, always growing; and it shall not cease to bring forth fruit.  And throughout the Scriptures, the righteous are represented as bringing forth fruit.  “And the remnant that is escaped out of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.”  Here is first a taking deep root downward, or the sanctification of the faculties of the soul, by which new principles of action are