Because of God's temple at Jerufalem, as the pro phet David predicted, Kings fhall bring prefents unto him. This prophecy was remarkably fulfilled, in the numerous converts from among the Gentiles, who were gathered into the apoftolic church; though, it is hoped, it fhall receive a ftill farther completion in the last days of the gospeldifpenfation.- -Improve this animating confideration, for strengthening and confirming your faith, in the accomplishment of this, and fimilar predictions, notwithstanding every intervening difficulty; and for encouraging your earnest prayers to God, for the performance of the glorious things which yet remain to be fulfilled. However unlikely the foretold event may feem, the faithfulness of Jehovah hath never failed: he hath remembered his mercy from generation to generation, and his truth endureth for ever.

3 And many people fhall go and fay, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion fhall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerufalem.

In these words, wherein the nations are reprefented as inciting one another to repair to the house of the Lord, the subject introduced in the foregoing verfe is amplified and illuftrated.The Hebrew word, which is here rendered many, fignifies alfo powerful; fo that many powerful people are the fubjects of this prediction, whofe numbers and in fluence fhall be very great. From this expreffion, however, we muft not fuppofe, that it is neceffary, to the accomplishment of this prophecy, that whole nations, without exception, fhould adopt the follow

* Pfal. Ixviii. 29.

ing language. It is fufficient for this purpose, that large numbers of them ftir up one another to join in the worship of God, and the obedience of his commands, though the great part among them continue in fuperftition and idolatry. This remark, I apprehend, is founded in fact, and deferves attention, when we are employed in confidering fuch events as that here foretold. Whilft, therefore, many of the elect of God, difperfed among different nations, as the accomplishment of this prophecy, fhould invite one another to go up to the house of the Lord, the rest of them may be perfifting in criminal idolatry, foolish fuperftitions, and walking in the vanity of their minds.- -Concerning thefe many people, thus understood, it is foretold, that they fhall go and fay,

Come ye, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the houfe of the God of Jacob. They thus encourage one another, as perfons commonly do who are exceedingly fond of the enterprise in which they are engaging, and folicitous that others may join them in what they expect to enjoy the greatest fatisfaction. The form of expreffion here used, is modelled upon an opinion which anciently prevailed among the Jews, which I mentioned when treating of the preceding verse, that the land of Judea, and especially the city Jerufalem, were higher in regard of fituation than the countries wherewith they were furrounded: hence we read in the New Testament, of going down from Judea, and going up to Jerufalem; which was a figure of the Jerufalem that is above. The mountain of the Lord, and the house of the God of Jacob, must be explained here, as we have already obferved from the 2d verfe, in a figurative fenfe; denoting the church of the Living God, under the prefent difpenfation of his grace, on which he commands his bleffing, even life for evermore. The expreffion before us, in its spiritual fignification, is inftructive and animating, and merits the closest attention. It fuppofes, that the perfons introduced speaking, and those com

plying with their invitation, were to rife from a lower to a higher condition, which, you know, is commonly attended with much difficulty, and requires the most vigorous exertion. Though, at first view, the work, to which men are here encouraged, might appear unpleasant and difficult, yet the happy confequences arifing from its performance, would abundantly compenfate all their labour and trouble. Many have been the people who (as here foretold) have animated one another in their afcent to the house of the Lord. This doubtlefs would be the pleasant employment of the devout men, of every nation under heaven, who reforted to Jerufalem after the afcenfion of Jefus Chrift, when this prediction was remarkably verified.This day, brethren, let this fcripture be farther fulfilled in our ears. Come ye, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. I do not invite you to go up to the literal mount Zion, whither the tribes of God reforted of old, to give thanks to the name of the Lord; nor do I afk you to go up to the temple built on that mountain, called the houfe of God, which was long ago buried in ruins: I invite you to rise above this earth, in affection and pursuit, that, in the way of obedience to the commands of Jesus Christ, you may afcend to the fpiritual Zion, the perfection , of beauty, the house of God, in which he delights for ever to refide. Let not the labours and difficulties that may attend this journey difcourage you: look to Jefus Chrift, left at any time you be weary and faint in your minds; and ceafe not, until, having gone from ftrength to ftrength, you arrive before God, perfect in Zion.-To this the most ample encou ragement is fubjoined:

And he will teach us of his ways. The perfon here spoken of, is no other than the bleffed God himself, the great Instructor of his church. Who teacheth like him? The benefit promised is of the highest importance, It relates not to literal or grammatical in

ftruction,

ftruction, whereby perfons learn to read the words before them, and to acquire the form of knowledge, though this alfo cometh from the Lord of hofts; but to that fpiritual instruction which is conveyed by the illumination of the understanding, and demonftration of the Spirit, which makes known the things freely given us of God, and the myfteries of the kingdom of heaven. By the former of these, a child is taught to read; by the latter, a man acquires a good understanding, which enables him to know the meaning of what he reads, or hears, refpecting divine fubjects. By the one, a fpeculative acquaintance with facred truths is acquired; by the other, the law of God is put into the heart, and fo written on the inward parts as to be transcribed into the life. The word of God fhews us what is good, and what the Lord requires of us; and the Spirit of God effectually difpofes the heart to attend to his inftructions, to profit by them, fo as to reduce them to practice; and both the word, and Spirit of God, being neceffary to bring men to walk in the paths of the Lord, we fuppofe, both are included in the words before us.

By the ways of God, may be meant his purposes and counfels, fo far as are proper and neceffary for his fervants to be acquainted with, in order to promote their happiness and falvation; his providential difpenfations, fo far as is confiftent with their duty and interest to know them, that they may understand the loving-kindness of the Lord; the miniftration of his Spirit, and the way of falvation, by which the manifold wifdom of Jehovah is admirably dif played. These are, with great propriety, called the ways of God, as he points them out to us in his word, and as they are intended to conduct to the enjoyment of him in the land of everlafting uprightness. Some degree of acquaintance with these things is indifpenfably requifite to mens walking in the ways of God's precepts; and, therefore, let us entreat, that he may grant us the wifdom of the prudent, that we

may

may understand his way, and walk therein with increafing delight. And let it be our great defign, in attending his ordinances, that we may learn his truths; that we may hear all things commanded us in his law and gofpel, respecting faith and practice, that, through the ftrength of the Moft High, we may keep his precepts with our whole hearts.

And we will walk in his paths. This is the promised, happy effect of being inftructed in the ways of God. By the paths of the Lord, we understand the divine doctrines, and holy precepts of the gofpel, by which God hath marked the way wherein we ought to go, to the everlasting enjoyment of his prefence and glory. Thefe paths ferve to conduct to the kingdom of God all thofe who are fo wife as walk in them. They afford direction in every condition through which they pafs, whether profperous or adverfe; in every ftage of life, whether youth or old age; in every relation in which they ftand connected; and in every station, whether more humble or elevated, that they occupy. They clearly point out the truths neceffary to be believed with the heart, and confeffed. with the mouth; and the duties requifite to be performed, to demonftrate the fincerity of faith, to adorn the profeffion of the gofpel, and difplay the power of godli nefs.-The refolution before us plainly implies, a free choice of the precepts of the gofpel, in preference to all other ways, and in oppofition to every kind of compulsion whatsoever. It includes, a fixed purpose of heart, a firm determination, to cleave unto the Lord, notwithstanding every difficulty and dif couragement that may lie in the way. And as walking is an uniform, progreffive motion, it comprehends a conftant, perfevering progrefs in the good ways of the Lord, wherein they are inftructed. Thofe who are taught of God, by his word, providence, and Spirit, here exprefs their fincere purpose, through divine aid, to make advances in the paths of obedience and fubmiffion, to whatfoever the Moft High may be S

pleafed