and wealth, will then be the portion of believers; the very portion which they are now called upon to renounce and despise. But, as I have hinted, large allowances must be made for the metaphorical language of prophecy. We read, that the streets of the New Jerusalem are paved with gold, and that the twelve gates are twelve pearls ;* but no person of sound judgement can suppose, that this description is to be understood strictly, according to the letter. The personal presence of MESSIAH with his people, is not necessary to such degrees of happiness, as are compatible with the present state of mortality and imperfection. It is sufficient, if he vouchsafes to dwell with them by his Spirit. Much less are temporal dominion and wealth necessary to the prosperity and honour of his spiritual kingdom. But what then are we encouraged to expect, beyond what has been hitherto known, with regard to this point? Let us consult the Scriptures, which alone can guide and determine our inquiry. I will select some express passages, a few out of many which might be adduced, but sufficient, I hope, by the rules of sober interpretation, to lead us to a satisfactory answer. The glory and happiness of MESSIAH's kingdom, is described by the prophets in terms which cannot be justly applied to any period of the church already past. They sometimes represent it by a variety of beautiful pastoral images, and sometimes in plainer language. Thus Isaiah, "And it "shall come to pass in the last days, that the "mountain of the Lord's house shall be establish"ed on the top of the mountains, and shall be "exalted above the hills; and all nations shall "flow unto it. And many people shall go and *Rev. xxi. 15. 21. say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain "of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, "and he will teach us of his ways, and we will "walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth "the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusa"lem. And he shall judge among the nations, “and shall rebuke many people: and they shall “beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: Nation shall not lift "up sword against nation, neither shall they learn "war any more."* Again, "The wolf also shall “dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie "down with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little child "shall lead them. And the cow and the bear "shall feed, their young ones shall lie down toge"ther; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. “And the sucking child shall play on the hole of "the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand "on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor 66 destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth “shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as "the waters cover the sea." I might likewise transcribe the whole of the sixtieth chapter, but shall only offer you the latter part of it: "Vio“lence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give "light unto thee; but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy "sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine ever*lasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall * Isa. ii. 2-4. + Isa. xi. 6-9. "be ended. Thy people also shall be all righ"teous, they shall inherit the land for ever, the "branch of my planting, the work of my hands," "that I may be glorified. A little one shall be"come a thousand, and a small one a strong na"tion: I the Lord will hasten it in his time."* To the same purpose the prophet Ezekiel: "And "I will set up one shepherd over them, and he "shall feed them, even my servant David, and he "shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will "be their God, and my servant David a prince "among them; I the Lord have spoken it. And "I will make with them a covenant of peace, and "will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell safely in the wilder"ness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make 66 66 " 66 them, and the places round about my hill, a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come "down in his season, there shall be showers of "blessing." And again: "Then will I sprinkle "clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean : from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, "will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and “I will take away the stony heart out of your “flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.` And "I will put my Spirit within you, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them." " And "the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay "desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And 66 6.6 they shall say, This land that was desolate is "become like the garden of Eden; and the waste "and desolate, and ruined cities, are become "fenced and inhabited."§ The prophet Zecha Isa. Ix. 18-22. E E + Ezek. xxxiv. 23-26. riah speaks to the same effect: "Sing and rejoice, "O daughter of Zion; for, lo, I come, and I will "dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that 66 day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell "in the midst of thee; and thou shalt know that "the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee." "And "the Lord shall be king over all the earth; in "that day there shall be one Lord, and his name "One." Though the promises and prophecies of this import are addressed to the church, under the names of Israel, Jacob, Zion, or Jerusalem, we are certain they were not fulfilled to the nation of Israel while their civil government subsisted. Their national prosperity and glory were greatly diminished before any of these prophecies were revealed. They were an inconstant and a suffering people, during the reigns of the kings of Judah and Israel, till at length their city and temple were destroyed by the Chaldeans. And, though they returned from their captivity, and their city and temple were rebuilt, they continued tributary and dependent, and were successively subject to the Persian, Macedoniau, and Roman power. Their obstinate rejection and crucifixion of MESSIAH, filled up the measure of their iniquities, and brought wrath upon them to the uttermost. They were soon afterwards exterminated from their land; their constitution, both of church and state, utterly subverted; and they remain, to this day, in a dispersed state, which renders the observance of their law impracticable. It seems equally plain, that these prophecies have not yet been fulfilled to the Christian church. The greater part of the earth, to this day, is unac Zech. ii. 10, 11.; xiv. 9. quainted with the name of Jesus. And the general face of Christendom, whether in Popish or in Protestant countries, exhibits little more of the spirit and character of the Gospel, than is to be found among the Heathens. If Christianity be compatible with pride or baseness, with avarice or profusion, with malice and envy, with scepticism in principle and licentiousness of conduct, then Christians abound: but if humility, integrity, benevolence, and a spiritual mind, are essential to a Christian; if we judge by the criterion which our Lord himself appointed, and account only those his disciples who live in the exercise of mutual love, it is to be feared that they are but few, even in the places which are most favoured with the light of the Gospel. But can the Scriptures be broken? Can the promises of the Lord fail? By no means. "Hea"ven and earth shall pass away, but not one jot or tittle" of his word shall fail of accomplish ment. It is not necessary to suppose that every individual of mankind shall be savingly converted to the Lord in this future day of his power; but I apprehend the current language of the prophecies warrants us to hope, that the prayers and desires of the church shall, in some future period, be signally answered, in the following respects. 1. That the Gospel shall visit the nations which are at present involved in darkness. The Heathen are given to MESSIAH for "his inheritance, and the "uttermost parts of the earth for his possession." At present (as I have formerly observed),* if the whole of Christendom was inhabited by real Christians, they would bear but a small proportion to the rest of mankind. Large countries in Europe, Asia, |