event would afford to all the surrounding nations, when they should hear of the wonderful events by which it had been accomplished. But it is manifest, that, if that be in any degree the import of his words, it can never comprehend their full meaning. Beyond a doubt, the holy man is led, from the contemplation of the mercies vouchsafed to himself, to speak of those which shall be vouchsafed to the whole world in the millennial age ; when all the kings of the earth shall become the monuments of God's love and mercy, and shall walk joyfully before him in obe- dience to his will.
From the words thus explained, I will take occa- sion to shew,
I. The felicity of the latter day — Here we see,
1. Of whom the Church will be composed —
[Under the Jewish dispensation, it was confined almost exclusively to the descendants of Abraham and the twelve Patriarchs, or, I should rather say, to a very small remnant of them: for " they were not all Israel who were of Israel a." And since the Gospel kingdom has been established, the true Israel have been found chiefly amongst "the poor, whom God has more especially chosen to be rich in faith, and heirs of his kingdomV As in the Apostle's days, so at this time, " not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called0." But in the millennial age, persons of every rank, and of every nation under heaven, will flock to Christ, even " as doves to their windows;" as the Psalmist says: " All the ends of the earth shall remember themselves, and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before himd." Amongst these, the kings and governors shall bear a most conspicuous place ; all of them, instead of being found, as formerly, amongst the persecutors of the Lord's people, " bringing their glory into the Church e," and " becoming themselves her nursing-fathers, and their queens her nursing- mothers'." Nor shall this obtain amongst a few only: for " the kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents to our adorable Redeemer ; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts unto him ; yea, all kings shall fall down before him ; and all nations shall serve him8."]
a Rom. ix. 6. b Jam. ii. 5. c 1 Cor. i. 26.
d Ps. xxii. 27. and lxxxvi. 9. e Rev. xxi. 24.
f Isai. xlix. 22, 23. s Ps. lxxii. 10, 11.