In the passage before us, there is a prophecy re- lating to the future state of the Church : in discoursing upon which we shall notice,
I. The promised increase of the Church —
In the verse preceding our text, the substance of the promise is contained a : and in our text itself, its accomplishment is represented as actually begun.
In two respects is the Church to be increased ;
1. In number —
[To enter fully into the spirit of this prophecy, we should call to mind the state of Israel in Palestine. The land of Canaan was but a small tract of country, when compared with the numbers that were to inhabit it ; so that some of the tribes, particularly Dan, and Ephraim, and Manasseh, com- plained of the smallness of their lotb. But, after the desola- tions occasioned by the Assyrians and Chaldeans, the popula- tion was so reduced, that they were quite insufficient to inhabit the cities, or to cultivate the ground0. Imagine now the people all on a sudden restored to their country, and multiplied far beyond all former precedent ; what surprise would be excited, and what universal clamour for want of room ! Such is the change which is here predicted in relation to the Church : the numbers that shall be added to it will surpass all human ex- pectation, so that " space shall not even be found for themd." In every country, in every city, in every village, yea in every congregation also, shall converts spring up as the piles of grass in the earth e, and " shall say in the ears of the Church, The place is too strait for me : give place for me that I may dwell." The Church herself shall be filled with utter amaze- ment at the multitudes that flock to her ; and shall say in her heart, " Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro ? and who hath brought up these ? Behold, I was left alone : these, where had they been?"
Incredible as this may appear, the prophet not only foretells it, but speaks of it as at that moment taking place before his eyes ; and of God himself, as swearing that the whole multi- tude shall become brighter ornaments to the Church, than the richest jewels to a bride f.]
a In Bishop Lowth's Translation it stands thus : " They that de- stroyed thee shall become thy builders ; and they that have laid thee waste, shall become thine offspring."
b Josh. xvii. 14 — 18. and xix. 47. c 2 Kings xxiv. 14.
d Zech. x. 10. e Ps. lxxii. 16. f ver. 18.