minister to the Church's welfare. This is more plainly de- clared in another chapter, where God says, " I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people : and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders ; and kings shall be thy nursing-fathers, and their queens thy nursing- mothers0." Having already brought before you the whole chapter, I forbear to notice it again, any further than to say, that, whilst the accession of converts to the Jewish Church is there depicted in such vivid colours, that you see it, as it were, actually taking place before your eyes, it is particularly said, that "they bring their silver and their gold with themd," so anxious will every true convert be to advance the Church's welfare, and the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom throughout the world. We must not however forget, that God is honoured in the conversion of the poor, as well as of the rich ; of the meanest beggar, as well as of a monarch upon his throne. When the " glory of Lebanon shall come unto the Church," not only shall the noble " fir" or the majestic "pine" be seen, but the low and humble "box;" and equally shall they all, in their places, contribute to " beautify the place of God's sanctuary, and to make the place of his feet glorious e."]
2. In the special favour of our God —
[In former days, God had shewn himself to be the Friend and Protector of his people : in Egypt, in the Wilderness, in Canaan, by numberless manifestations of his power and grace. And in days that are yet future, shall there be such evidence of his presence with them, as will leave no doubt on their minds, or in the minds of others, that " God is with them of a truth :" for in the very next chapter it is said, " All that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed f." Nor need we look for miracles to establish this. There is, in the very work of God upon the soul, abundant evidence that it is his work. This is well described by the prophet, in the words following my text : " For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron. I will make thine officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall be no more heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders ; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise g." Here, under the figure of temporal prosperity, such as obtained in Israel under the reign of Solomon11, is set forth the piety of Zion's converts ; none exercising any more their corrupt propensities, or resting any longer in the posses- sion of mere moral worth ; but all exhibiting the brightest
c Isai. xlix. 22, 23. d ver. 9. e ver. 13.
f Isai. lxi. 9. ■ ver. 17, 18. h 2 Chron. ix. 20.