[Low as the state of the Church at present is, it shall one day, like the stone which Nebuchadnezzar saw, " become a mountain, and fill the whole earth11." " The mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the moun- tains ; and all nations shall flow unto itx." The stateliest trees shall then be as ambitious of contributing to its glory, as those of the humblest growth." Let us then, in an assured prospect of that clay, send forth workmen to Lebanon, to fell the lofty
firs, and to bring in the humble box* So shall the
sanctuary of God be enlarged and beautified, and his name be glorified throughout all the earth.]
« Dan. ii. 35. x Isai. ii. 2.
y If this were the subject of a Mission Sermon, the thought of heathens and savages in every quarter of the world flocking to Christ, "as doves to their windows," (ver. 8.) might here be opened to advantage.
Isai. lx. 15, 16. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Thou shall also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings : and thou shalt knotv that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
THE Church of God, previous to our Saviour's first advent, looked forward to that event with eager expectation : and with the same holy feelings ought we to look forward to that advent of which the Scrip- tures so largely speak, when he shall take to him his great power, and establish his kingdom over the face of the whole earth. That such a period will arrive, there can be no doubt ; and that it is fast approach- ing, seems clearly intimated in the prophetic writings. It is not necessary for us to fix the dates of prophecy with such accuracy as to mark the precise year, when this great event shall commence, or be accomplished : an obscurity necessarily hangs over such predictions : it is not the design of God so entirely to make known the designs of his providence, as to put us into com- plete possession of them before they have occurred ;