midst of all the difficulties and trials he has had to contend with ? Must it not be said of all, " He that hath wrought us to the self-same thing is God?" Yes, in every tree of right- eousness which is the planting of the Lord, God, and God alone, must be glorified'1. If St. Paul himself was constrained to say, " Not I, but the grace of God that was with me," it will scarcely be thought that any one else can arrogate to himself the honour of his own growth, stability, or fruit- fulness."]
Gloriously as this prophecy has been already ful- filled, it should be contemplated by us,
II. As yet further to be accomplished —
The Church will doubtless be yet more widely extended through the earth —
[In truth, this cedar has attained at present but a small measure of its destined growth. It is but in a small part of the world that even the name of Christ is known : and, where his religion is professed, there are but few, very few indeed, who experience its renovating power. But it shall not be always thus : the time is coming when " he will multiply them that they shall not be few, and will glorify them that they shall not be small e." Then, in a far different sense from what can be affixed to the words at this time, shall it be said, that " fowl of every wing come to dwell under the shadow of this goodly cedar ;" for " all shall know the Lord, from the least even to the greatest :" " all kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him :" " the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea."]
Then shall God be more abundantly glorified in it—
[The whole Church, and every individual in it, is to God " for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory." It is in his hands " a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty f." But how greatly will his power and goodness appear, when " all flesh shall see the salvation of God," yea, and actually enjoy it ! If now, when the attainments of his people are so low, he is honoured, how will he be glorified when " the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun sevenfold, as the light of seven days ! " And how will he be exalted in that day, when all his saints from the beginning of the world shall be gathered in one bright assembly, and shall join together in one general chorus ; how, I say, will he then " be glorified in his saints, and admired in all that believe ! " ]
d Isai:-lx. 21. andlxi. 3. e Jer. xxx. 18, 19. f Isai. lxii. 3.