above their fathersV His blessings, too, shall be richly poured out upon them, not only as they were in Canaan, in the days of David and Solomon, but in a measure that can scarcely be conceived. Even in a temporal view, I apprehend, the magnificent descriptions of the prophets will be realized c ; but in a spiritual view I am perfectly sure of it : for they shall be restored to their God, and be as great monuments of God's love and mercy in the world, as ever they have been of his wrath and indignation d: yes, the time is now fast approaching, when " he will multiply them, that they shall not be few; and glorify them, that they shall not be small e:" and when "they shall sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations, saying one to another, Publish ye, praise ye, and say, Save thy people, the remnant of Israel f."]
Innumerable blessings, too, has God promised to
his spiritual Israel —
[That these are included in the wish of Moses, there can be no doubt : for, in the promise which he more immediately refers to, where it is said, " In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore;" it is added, "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed g." Here, beyond all doubt, is reference to the whole Gentile world, who shall in due season be converted to the Lord, and together with Israel become " one fold under one Shepherd." That these were included in the promise made to Abraham, St. Paul expressly declares : " The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So, then, they which be of faith" (whether Jews or Gentiles, the same (are the children of Abraham, and) " are blessed with faithful Abraham11." He further declares, that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that ive might receive the pro- mise of the Spirit through faith1." Here, then, we have a fuller insight into the wish of Moses, as expressed in the text ; a wish in which every pious person under heaven must concur.]
Let us then consider the prosperity of Israel,
II. As an object of desire —
" O that the Lord God of our fathers would mul-
b Jer. xxxiii. 22. Deut. xxx. 5.
c Amosix. 11 — 15. Zech. viii. 3—8. d Zech. viii. 13, 18—23.
e Jer. xxx. 19. f Jer. xxxi. 7.
g Gen. xxii. 17, 18. h Gal. hi. 7 — 9. J Gal. hi. 13, 14.