The Tree represents a corrupt Sinner : — The Wood-cutter, a faithful Labourer in the Word and Doctrine: — The Ax is the Word of God: — The Notch in the Tree, shews that some of the old Stock will remain; albeit that be the case, yet an Incision is made for the Entrance of Grace; I have hewed them by the Prophets, Hos. vi. 5. The next Stroke is intended to lay the Ax to the Roots — The Love of Money — Self-righteousness, and Unbelief, being the three Roots that hold every Sinner fast in the Old Adam: — If Unbelief be cut, both the others wither of course: the Woman with the Morning Star on her Breast is Truth; her appearing without Hat or Cap, denotes her Fortitude and Innocency, that she is not ashamed to shew her face; her pointing with her finger to the Wood-cutter, denotes her guiding him to cut lower: The mean appearance of the Wood-cutter, shews the Choice of God, in chusing the Foolish, to confound the Wise, 1 Cor. i. 27. His being stript, shews that he is in earnest: The Three Dogs barking at him, represent erroneous Preachers, Evil-workers, and Dividers and Scatterers, Phil. iii. 2. Their standing with their Fore-feet out, shews that they are afraid to attack him though they hate him. The contemptuous ass prefigures a carnal Priest with a little human Learning in His Head; vain Man would [fain] be wise, though he be born like a wild Ass's Colt, Job, xi. 12. His kicking up, shews how, like Eli's Sons, they kick at God's Sacrifices, 1 Sam. ii. 29.; or like Judas who fell from his Bishopric, by lifting up his Heels against his Master, John, xiii. 18. The Net shews the Gospel, called a Net, cast into the Sea of this World; the End of Time is the Shore of this Sea, when the Net will be brought to Land; that Net being a skim Net, shews that each Fisher of Men catches but a few, Matt. iv. 19. It being open at the Top, is to shew, that many who apparently are entangled, will apostatise, or leap out again. The Crook shews, that the Preacher is an Inferior Shepherd, to feed the Flock of God,: The Sieve is Temptation, into which Satan got poor Peter: The Cross shews the Preacher's daily Burthen of Reproach: The Wheat-sheaf shews the Church; the Ears hanging down, shew that some Members are ready to go to God as a shock of Corn fully ripe, Job. v. 26. The Flail is to shew, that the Preacher is a threshing Instrument, Isa. xli. 15, and that he must not spare the Hypocrite, but beat off the Chaff from the Wheat, Jer. xxiii. 28. The flaming Sword is the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God: Its Flames shew the Spirit's power attending it. The Bullock with his Yoke, represents the Sinner tamed by Repentance, with the Saviour's Yoke upon him, Jer. xxxi. 18; Matt. xi. 29. The Plow Handles shew the converting Power of the Word, in discovering the Sinner's Heart; and that any Preacher having put his Hand thereto, and looking back, is not fit for the Kingdom of God. The Crown at the Top shews the Reward promised to Grace: The whole Sheet is Peter's Vision; the round Eylet Holes, at each Corner, shew the Eternity and eternal Harmony of Mercy and Truth, Righteousness and Peace, in the Salvation of elected Souls.—