tion.You who profefs to be subjects of the Redeemer, cherish, I beseech you, concord and good agreement among yourfelves, and beware of trife and contention. You are brethren; fee that you fall not out by the way. If you are the house of Christ, in which he means to take up his refidence, take heed that you fet it not on fire by animofities and quarrels. If he hath taken you from among the Gentiles, to be a people for his name, remember, that a divided, wrangling people can never be an honour to the Prince of peace. Let us next contemplate the feat of his empire:

Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom. A throne is frequently attributed to the Son of God in fcripture, from whence he displays his glory, and attends to the fupplications of his people. A kingdom is likewise afcribed to him, over which he prefides, conftituted of all who yield fubjection to him as their Lord, toward whom he acts as their gracious Sovereign. The throne and kingdoin here meant, are not to be literally, but figuratively understood; not of thofe once occupied by the fon of Jeffe, which were typical of the fpiritual throne and kingdom of Jefus Chrift that he erects in the hearts of his people, where he reigns by his power and grace, the glory whereof is reprefented in the gofpel, and fhall be confummated at the laft day. The throne and kingdom here intended, is diftinguished by the name of David, which is one of the names given to the Meffiah, of whom that renowned patriarch was an eminent type. David, the fervant of the Lord, was anointed king over his people Ifrael, in Jerufalem: Jefus Chrift, the fervant of Jehovah, was anointed, with the oil of gladnefs, king over the whole Ifrael of God, in the New Jerufalem. All the promises made to David were completely verified to Jefus Chrift, who, defcending from him according to the flefh, literally had right to the throne and kingdom of his father. The throne and kingdom here spoken of,

are

are not of this world; they are not of earthly origin, nor take their rife from human compact or agreement, but proceed entirely from God. They are not defigned to promote earthly purposes, but for recovering mankind from ignorance, error, and fin, and re-uniting them to God, as their rightful Sovereign, and chief good. They are fupported not by worldly, but by fpiritual means; by prayer, by manifestation of the truth, by strength of evidence, by conviction of the judgment, and the conqueft of the heart. Nor does the government of Jefus Chrift interfere with the interests of earthly kingdoms. His doctrines and precepts, far from being hoftile to civil government, or freeing fubjects of their allegiance to their lawful • rulers, inculcate obedience to their just commands: his title to his throne is not incompatible with the rights of earthly princes, nor his power with their legal authority over their fubjects, whom he requires to render unto Cæfar the things that are Cæfar's, and unto God the things that are God's. From all which we learn, that the genuine fubjects of Meffiah's kingdom are, like their Mafter, not of this world*. In their temper and conduct they are not conformed to it, but transformed by the renewing of their minds. Their condition, in this life, alfo is like that of their Lord; for as he was, fo are they, in this world, ftrangers and pilgrims upon the earth, looking for another and better country, that is an heavenly.- Once more, let us confider the order, ftability, and perpetuity of the kingdom of Jefus Chrift, which are thus expreffed :

The Son

To order it, and to establish it with judgment, and with justice, from henceforth even for ever. of God, by whom all things confift, hath established a beautiful order in fociety, which becomes either happy or miferable according as that order is obferved or violated. In the new creation, he hath reftored

that harmony and proportion which fin hath univer fally disturbed among mankind. He reftores to or der the temple of the human heart, once remarkable for the exquifitely fine difpofition of all its faculties, which regularly obferved their offices, and performed their various operations. He difpofes all his faithful fubjects to refpect things according to the order wherein he hath placed them, and to give them precedence in their affection and practice according to their intrinfic excellence and real utility. Hence, when acting under the influence of his inftructions, they prefer heaven to earth, a general to a particular good, a fpiritual to a temporal, an eternal to a prefent benefit, they obey God rather than man, and fo affort his laws that proper regard may be given to each agreeable to its importance. He hath appointed a comely fubordination of condition and flation in his kingdom, affigning to every one his proper place and duty, to which he directs them carefully to attend, requiring ftrict regard to order in fpending precious time, in exercising difcipline, in waiting upon his ordinances, and in directing our footfteps in his word. The ruin of nations and ftates hath often originated from the diforder and confufion that hath arifen among the people, which, in fome inftances, have terminated in their deftruction. From this circumftance, in conjunction with others, the kingdom of our Lord derives stability. Thus he continually adjusts and orders all its concerns with confummate wisdom and equity.With judgment and justice. Thefe two words are frequently joined together in fcripture, where they are ufed in different fenfes, which I fhall not stay at prefent to point out. In the paffage before us, judgment may denote a clear and accurate knowledge of what ought to be done; and being afcribed to a perfon clothed with fupreme authority, it may farther include the trial and difcovery of the true ftate of every matter coming under his cognizance. Justice may be intended to exprefs the fubfequent determination

termination formed according to the perfect rule of equity, for the punishment of tranfgreffors, and the encouragement of patient continuance in well-doing. The deltruction of ftates and empires hath often proceeded from the neglect of the proper diftribution of justice, and the right exercife of judgment; whereas judgment and justice are the grand pillars whereby our Lord's throne and kingdom are fupported, and therefore they fhall be eftablished for ever.The everlasting duration of the government of the Son of God is expreffed in thefe words: From henceforth and for ever. The kingdoms of this world, not like the kingdom of our Lord, continue only for a limited time: after they have attained the zenith of their glory, they foon begin to decline, and ere long are loft in the revolutions of time. Prior to the establishment and wide extenfion of the government of Jefus Christ, four great empires, befide the nation of Ifrael, fucceflively flourifhed, decayed, and mouldered away:

mean the Babylonian, the Perfian, the Grecian, and the Roman. The principles which operated to their downfal and deftruction were interwoven in their very constitution, and never ceafed to act until they produced their ruinous effects. Not fo the dominion of the Son of God, which is established with judgment and justice, that shall perpetuate its duration through immortal ages. His dominion is an everlafting dominion, which shall not pafs away, and his kingdom fhall not be destroyed. His throne is for ever, and men fhall fear him as long as the fun and moon endure, throughout all generations. Eternity adds a peculiar luftre to our Lord's government, and unfpeakably advances the felicity of his fubjects; and, therefore, is once and again mentioned in this verfe of it there fhall be no end, and it fhall be from henceforth and for ever.

The zeal of the Lord of hofts will perform this. Zeal is a mixed paffion, in which love, grief, and anger, are united. It comprehends ardent affection and fo

licitous

licitous concern for the welfare of its object, unfeigned grief and forrow when it is oppofed or injured, accompanied with ftrong expreflions of difpleasure and indignation against whatever might counteract the defign it hath in view to accomplish. Properly fpeaking, it is not any particular affection or difpofition, but a quality of which every other grace ought to be poffeffed, or rather an effential ingredient neceffary to their vigorous exercife. In men it becomes laudable or culpable, and is approved or cenfured in fcripture, according as it is well or ill directed, terminating upon proper or improper objects. When attributed to God, as in the words we are confidering, it may denote his infinite love and tender regard for the facred interefts of his kingdom and glory, his grief and just difpleasure awakened by every thing that might retard or oppofe their establishment, profperity, and perpetuity. Apply this defcription of zeal to the fubject before us, and then we may sup, pofe this to be the import of the prophet's expreffion. The glory of God's great name, his faithfulness pledg ed in his promifes, and his ardent desire to advance the happiness of his people, fecure the exact fulfilment of the joyful predictions contained in this and the preceding verse. He who hath faid, will perform ; he who hath fpoken, will make it good. He is the Lord of hofts, to whom the whole creation is fubject, who difpofes of all creatures and events according to his pleasure; and, therefore, no obftruction, no power however great, can poffibly hinder the accomplishment of thefe glorious things which the Almighty hath foretold by his fervant Ifaiah.May the zeal of the Lord of hofts to perform this that he hath promifed, infpire each of us with a warm and active zeal to promote the interefts of the Redeemer's kingdom, by the lively exercife of every good difpofition, and the faithful performance of every commanded duty, that, in this manner, we may become workers together with God. Let us cordially fubject our