Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 3.pdf/231

 were of divers colours." A great eagle, referring to supreme intelligence; and longed winged, being powerful through doctrine; for as long and powerful wings enable the bird to soar, so doctrine enables the understanding to rise upward. Feathers are the coverings which clothe the wings, and enable the bird to raise himself. And what is it which enables the intellect to soar upward? Undoubtingly the love of truth. So, then, the love of truth is as feathers to the wing, enabling the thoughts of the understanding continually to ascend up towards heaven; and "they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, and shall mount up with wings as eagles:" that is they shall be gifted with spiritual power, and shall be enabled, by a knowledge of the truth, to ascend into the regions of heavenly intelligence and wisdom.

"The eagle took the highest branch of the cedar of Lebanon." The cedar represents the spiritual perceptions in man, from which the intellectual and rational principles become enlightened: and thus it is that "the righteous grow as the cedar in Lebanon." Height in Scripture is used to denote the elevation of goodness or love to the Lord: as a man increases in goodness, he becomes more and more elevated. It is in consequence of this that the Lord is described as the, inhabiting eternity. The highest branch of the cedar denotes the most elevated principle of the reason, acting under the guiding influence of truth, and moved by love to the Lord. This branch is said to be planted by a city of merchants, denoting a situation where doctrines are taught and defended; and by its being planted near the river, such doctrines are nurtured and rendered