world. Even in the Apostle's days, females had their depart- ment of labour, and laboured too with good success, as well as men8: and at this time, also, there is a call for the exertions of every soul amongst us : and though we have in ourselves no more power or efficiency than rams' horns, yet will God by us demolish the strong holds of sin and Satan, and establish throughout the world the kingdom of his dear Son.]
8 Rom. xvi. 3, 4, 12.
Isai. xxix. 18, 19. In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the booh, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness: the meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
THERE is a day frequently spoken of in Scripture under the emphatical title of " that day:" and it sometimes refers to the apostolic age, sometimes to the millennial period, and sometimes to the day of judgment. Commentators in general consider the first of these to be the time designated by that expression in the text. To this they are led by the interpre- tation of the preceding verse; which they understand thus : " In a very little while, Lebanon (the Gentile world, which has hitherto been a mere desert) shall be turned into a fruitful field (by means of the Gospel which shall be published) ; and the (hitherto) fruitful field (of the Jewish Church) shall be esteemed as a forest (or desert). And in that day (of the destruction of the Jewish Church and polity) shall the deaf hear the words of the book," &c. &c. But I should rather incline to consider the second period, namely, the millennial aera, as the time intended : because I have no conception of " Lebanon," which is constantly used in Scripture to characterize grandeur and fer- tility, being applied to designate a mere desert. I apprehend rather that in that verse there is a climax, descriptive of the state of the Church when the Jews shall be gathered into it : that then " Lebanon (which now is desolate) shall be turned into a fruitful field ;