none to hurt and to destroy in all God's holy mountain. At the memorable æra of the Reformation from Popery and arbitrary power, they doubtlefs received a ftill larger accomplishment, by the vast increase and extensive spread of divine knowledge. For their full completion, we look forward to the happy period which fhall follow the deftruction of Antichrist, wherein the church of God, composed of Jews and Gentiles, under the tuition of faithful paftors, and the protection of good government, fhall enjoy agreeable tranquillity, and large measures of divine knowledge, holiness, and confolation. In the joyful expectation of this most desirable event, let us exert ourselves to the utmost, that the approach of this happy period be not retarded through our fault; and that the church of Chrift may attain the accomplishment of their hopes, and the answer of their prayers.

10 ¶ And in that day there fhall be a root of Jeffe, which shall stand for an enfign of the people; to it fhall the Gentiles feek, and his reft fhall be glorious,

In this and the following verfes of this chapter, the prophet foretels the remarkable fortunes of the Meffiah's kingdom, with their immediate confequences; fuch as the converfion of the Gentiles, the vocation of the difperfed Jews, with the diminution of the adverse powers of Egypt and Affyria, to make way for the great work of divine grace and mercy.In this verfe, the converfion of the Gentiles is foretold. The time fixed for this purpose, here referred to, is the remarkable period in which the great events foretold in the preceding context fhall receive their accomplishment. By the root of Jeffe, is no doubt meant the illuftrious Perfon whom the prophet intended in the first verse of this chapter, where he is defcribed, as a rod which fhould come forth out of

the ftem of Jeffe, and the branch that fhould grow

out

out of his roots.' This is no other than the Meffiah, the Lord and Son of David, who exprefsly affirms concerning himself, in the book of Revelation, I am the root and offspring of David. Viewing Jefus Christ our Lord in his human nature, we know he was made of the feed of David according to the flesh; and confequently was the Son of David, who fprang from the root of Jeffe. Contemplating him in his divine nature, he is David's Lord; the root from which Jeffe, and all the creatures, derive their existence, and by whom they are fupported in being. This is the great mystery of godlinefs, which the Jews did not understand when it was propofed to them by our Lord himself. This defcription, like many others given of the Meffiah, plainly fuppofes his real divinity, and the infinite merit of his perfect obedience, which are almost every where expreffed or fuppofed in the prophecies delivered concerning him. Like a root that groweth out of dry ground, he had no form or comelinefs: his appearance to human view was mean and contemptible: men did not perceive the dignity of his perfon, the excellence of his character, nor the defign of his coming into this world. From this root arife all thofe trees of righteousness that are planted in the house of the Lord, that flourish in the courts of our God; and from thence they derive their life, nourishment, and fruitfulness.

Which fhall ftand for an enfign of the people. This expreffion feems to have an obvious reference to the ancient practice of princes or commanders, who, in times of imminent danger, ordered standards or banners to be erected upon the tops of hills and rifing grounds, that the inhabitants of the country, and especially the military, might be affembled with the utmoft expedition, to receive the inftructions of their prince or general, and to perform the fervice in

* Rev. xxii. 16.

which he thought proper to employ them. By attending to the words under confideration, you will obferve, that the Meffiah is compared not to the fovereign, who requires the ftandard to be fet up, but to the enfign or banner itself, which, by his authority, is appointed to be elevated. Like an enfign placed upon an eminence, Jefus Chrift, the root of Jeffe, fhould be publicly exhibited in the preaching of the gofpel, according to the commandment of the everlafting God, that he may gather together all the children of the Most High, who are scattered abroad, to the only means of falvation. Befide him there is no other name given under heaven among men whereby they can be faved: he is the alone infallible Teacher, who can inftruct them fo as to make wife unto falvation: he is the only High-pricft, through whofe obedience and fufferings they can obtain remiffion of fins: he is the only King, under whofe government they can enjoy fafety, profperity, and felicity. Like a ftandard elevated on the top of a mountain, Jefus Chrift is feen by vaft multitudes, who look to him as the Ifraelites, ftung by the fiery ferpents in the wilderness, looked to the brazen ferpent, that they might be healed. They look on him whom they have pierced by their fins, as the only appointed means of deliverance; and, in obedience to his call, they look unto him from all the ends of the earth, that they may be faved. Like a banner erected on the fummit of a hill, Jefus Chrift is exalted very high in the miniftry of the gofpel, as poffeffed of unrivalled excellence and glory; and, having accomplished the great ends of his humiliation, and obedience unto death, he is made higher than the heavens, and fet down at the right hand of the throne of God. To him, as to a ftandard placed on the top of a mountain, multitudes fhall refort from all quarters, as to the centre of union, that they may enjoy intimate fellowship with him, and with one another, To him fhall men come, as foretold by our prophet; to him fhall be the gathering of the people; to him

fhall

fhall they flee, as doves to their windows; that they may enjoy his protection, that they may enter into his service, that they may receive direction from him in their various movements, that they may fight under his banner, and be conducted by him to everlasting victory and triumph. For thefe important purpoles, the Meffiah shall stand, as here foretold, firmly established upon an immoveable foundation, by divine power and love, fupported by irrefragable evidence, and invincible proofs of his grace and ability to fave to the uttermost.

To it fhall the Gentiles feek, &c. The Gentiles, who are here intended, are those nations of the earth which had been immerfed in profound ignorance, and abominable fuperftition; living without God and without Chrift in the world, walking in the vanity of their minds, alienated from the life of God; and, paft feeling, had given themselves over to work all uncleannefs with greedinefs *. People of this description, having heard of a certain illuftrious Teacher arifing from the root of Jeffe, who was appointed to give unto men the knowledge of falvation, to be the refuge of finners, and the Redeemer of the miferable, leaving their falfe oracles and delufive practices, fhould have recourse to this Inftructor of the foolish, and Saviour of the loft. To him they should feek, not from yain curiofity and finifter views, but from good intention; not with hypocrify and diffimulation, but with their whole hearts; not with indifference and negligence, but with earnestness and diligence. To him they fhould refort, as to a ftrong-hold, for protection from danger; as to a Saviour, for deliverance from evil; as to a mighty One, for help in time of need; as to a wife Counsellor, for advice and direction in every emergency. The apostle Paul, citing this paffage

6

with fome little variation, in his Epiftle to the Romans, thus fpeaks of this root of Jeffe: He fhall rife " to reign over the Gentiles, and in him fhall the Gentiles truft*.' There is an intimate connection between feeking and trufting in the Meffiah. Men will not feek to him in whom they cannot truft, nor will they trust in him whom they do not feek and hope to enjoy. The apoftle thus interprets the words of our prophet, and fairly reprefents the affectionate regard which the Gentiles fhould testify for Jefus Chrift, to whom they fhould feek, and in whom they ought to truft for life and falvation.-May thefe words be this day fulfilled in you, my brethren! A greater than Solomon is here; to whom people of all nations reforted, to hear his wifdom, and to contemplate the excellent majefty to which God had advanced him. Come then to Jefus Chrift, to confult him about all your doubts and perplexities, convinced, that in him dwells all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and that in him are wonderfully conjoined the glory of the Son of God with the grace of the Son of man. A greater is here than the high-priest of Ifrael, who was arrayed with garments for glory and beauty. Seek to the great High-prieft appointed over the house of God, on whom refts the Spirit of glory, that, through his atonement and interceffion, you may be pardoned, fanctified, and faved.

And his reft fhall be glorious. If you inquire, in the words of God, by our prophet, Where is the place of my reft? I anfwer with the royal prophet, The Lord hath chofen Zion: he hath defired it for his habitation. This is my reft for ever: here will I dwell, for I have defired it .' In Zion God anciently fixed his abode, and there continued until the iniquities of Ifrael provoked him to forfake his dwelling-place. Since that time he hath removed into the