Christian Classics
‹ System of Doctrines, contained in Divine Relation, Explained and Defended. Shewing Their Consistence and Connexion with Each Other. Vol. I.
Contents
Section VI. Concerning Saving Faith. · Part 1Section VI. Concerning Saving Faith. · Part 2Section VI. Concerning Saving Faith. · Part 3Section VI. Concerning Saving Faith. · Part 4Section VII. On the Sinner's Justification by Faith in Christ. · Part 1Section VII. On the Sinner's Justification by Faith in Christ. · Part 2Section VII. On the Sinner's Justification by Faith in Christ. · Part 3Section VIII. On the Covenant of Grace.Section IX. The Manner of the Dispensation of the Covenant of Grace, and the Preaching of the Gospel.Section X. That all true Believers, do persevere in Faith and Holiness, to the End of Life, and cannot fail of eternal Salvation.Section XI. Concerning Believers’ Assurance of Salvation.Section XII. On the Doctrine of Election.Section XIII. Whether any of the Redeemed arrive to Perfect Holiness in this Life.Section XIV. Concerning Death; a Separate State; the General Resurrection and Judgment; and the eternal State of Happiness or Misery. · Part 1Section XIV. Concerning Death; a Separate State; the General Resurrection and Judgment; and the eternal State of Happiness or Misery. · THE GENERAL JUDGMENT.Section XIV. Concerning Death; a Separate State; the General Resurrection and Judgment; and the eternal State of Happiness or Misery. · IMPROVEMENT.Section I. General Observations concerning the Church of Christ.Section II. Concerning the Officers of a Church.Section III. On the Public Institutions y Ordinances and Worship oj the Church. · Part 1Section III. On the Public Institutions y Ordinances and Worship oj the Church. · Part 2Section III. On the Public Institutions y Ordinances and Worship oj the Church. · Part 3Section III. On the Public Institutions y Ordinances and Worship oj the Church. · Part 4Section III. On the Public Institutions y Ordinances and Worship oj the Church. · Part 5Section III. On the Public Institutions y Ordinances and Worship oj the Church. · Part 6Section III. On the Public Institutions y Ordinances and Worship oj the Church. · Part 7Section III. On the Public Institutions y Ordinances and Worship oj the Church. · Part 8Section III. On the Public Institutions y Ordinances and Worship oj the Church. · Part 9Section IV. Concerning the Discipline of the Church.Chap. VI. On Christian Practice. · Part 1Chap. VI. On Christian Practice. · REFLECTIONS.Chap. VI. On Christian Practice. · CONCLUSION.A Treatise on the Millennium.Dedication.Introduction.Section I. In which it is proved from Scripture, that the church of Christ in to come to a state of prosperity in this world, which it has never yet enjoyed; in which it will continue at least a thousand years. · Part 1Section I. In which it is proved from Scripture, that the church of Christ in to come to a state of prosperity in this world, which it has never yet enjoyed; in which it will continue at least a thousand years. · Part 2Section I. In which it is proved from Scripture, that the church of Christ in to come to a state of prosperity in this world, which it has never yet enjoyed; in which it will continue at least a thousand years. · Part 3Section II. In which it is considered, in what the Millennium will consist, and what will be the peculiar happiness and glory of that day, according to Scripture. · Part 1Section II. In which it is considered, in what the Millennium will consist, and what will be the peculiar happiness and glory of that day, according to Scripture. · Part 2Section II. In which it is considered, in what the Millennium will consist, and what will be the peculiar happiness and glory of that day, according to Scripture. · Part 3Section II. In which it is considered, in what the Millennium will consist, and what will be the peculiar happiness and glory of that day, according to Scripture. · Part 4Section III. In which is considered which thousand years of the world will be the Millennium, and when it will begin.Section IV. In which is considered, what events are to take place, according to Scripture Prophecy, before the beginning of the Millennium, and to prepare the way for it. · Part 1Section IV. In which is considered, what events are to take place, according to Scripture Prophecy, before the beginning of the Millennium, and to prepare the way for it. · Part 2Section IV. In which is considered, what events are to take place, according to Scripture Prophecy, before the beginning of the Millennium, and to prepare the way for it. · Part 3Section IV. In which is considered, what events are to take place, according to Scripture Prophecy, before the beginning of the Millennium, and to prepare the way for it. · Part 4Section IV. In which is considered, what events are to take place, according to Scripture Prophecy, before the beginning of the Millennium, and to prepare the way for it. · Part 5Section IV. In which is considered, what events are to take place, according to Scripture Prophecy, before the beginning of the Millennium, and to prepare the way for it. · Part 6

Samuel Hopkins · 35 of 48

Section I. In which it is proved from Scripture, that the church of Christ in to come to a state of prosperity in this world, which it has never yet enjoyed; in which it will continue at least a thousand years. · Part 1

In which it is proved from Scripture, that the church of Christ in to come to a state of prosperity in this world, which it has never yet enjoyed; in which it will continue at least a thousand years.

THE first revelation of a Redeemer, in the prediction spoken to the serpent, may be considered as implying the destruction of the kingdom of the devil in this world, by the wisdom and energy of Christ. “He shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Satan has bruised the heel of Christ, in the sufferings and dishonour he has been instrumental of bringing upon him, and in the opposition he has made to the interest and church of Christ, in this world. And it is natural to suppose that Christ shall bruise his head in this world, by destroying his interest and kingdom among men, and gaining a conquest over him, in the struggle and war which has taken place between the Redeemer and seducer of men. And by the Redeemer’s bruising the head of the serpent, is signified that he will not destroy him by the mere exertion of his power, but that by his superior wisdom, he will confound and defeat Satan, in all his subtilty and cunning, on which he depends so much, and by which he aims to disappoint Christ and defeat him in his designs. And by this he will make a glorious display of his wisdom, as well as of his power, while he discovers the craftiness of Satan to be foolishness, and disappoints him in his devices, carrying all the counsel of this cunning, froward enemy headlong. If all this could not be gathered from this passage, considered by itself, yet that this is the real meaning, will perhaps appear from what has already taken place in accomplishing this prediction; and from other prophecies respecting this, some of which are to be brought into view in the sequel: without which the full meaning of this first promise could not be known.

In order to bruise the head of the serpent, in this sense, most effectually, and turn his boasted wisdom and cunning into foolishness, and entirely defeat him in this way, he must have opportunity and advantage to try his skill and power, and practise all his cunning, in opposing; Christ, and the salvation of men. And in this way be overcome and wholly defeated, in the ruin of his interest and kingdom among men; so that all his attempts shall turn against himself, and be the occasion of making the victory and triumph of the Redeemer greater, more perspicuous and glorious, in the final prevalence of his kingdom on earth, by drawing all men to him; and destroying the works and kingdom of Satan in this world, and setting up his own on the rums of it, and so as to turn all the attempts and works of the devil against him, and render the whole subservient to his own interest and kingdom. And thus the coming and kingdom of Christ will be “As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after ram.” When the sun rises in a clear morning, after a dark night, attended with clouds, rain and storms, the morning is more pleasant, beautiful and glorious, and the grass springs and grows more fresh and thrifty, than if it had not been preceded by such a stormy night. So the prosperity and glory of the church, when the Sun of shall rise upon it, with healing in his beams- will be enjoyed to a higher degree, and be more pleasant and glorious, and Christ will be more glorified, than if it had not been preceded by a dreadful night of darkness, contusion and evil, by the wickedness of men, and the power and agency of Satan.

The words above cited are the last words of David the prophet, and sweet Psalmist of Israel, and are a prophecy of the glorious event now under consideration. “The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was m my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake by me. He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be like the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth, by clear shining after rain.” The first words may be rendered so as to give the true sense more clearly. “He who is to rule over men, (i.e. the Messiah) is just, ruling in the fear of God.” The words must be, in our translation, are not in the original, and the helping verb is, which is commonly not expressed, but understood, in the Hebrew, should have been supplied: “He that ruleth, or is to rule over men, is just.” This is evidently a prophecy concerning Christ, his church and kingdom, when he shall take to himself his great power, and reign in his kingdom, which shall succeed the, reign of Satan during the four preceding monarchies, which were first to take place, which will be more particularly explained, as we proceed in examining the prophecies of this great event, The latter day glory. And that these words of David are a prediction of the reign of Christ on earth, after the long prevalence of Satan and wicked men, is farther evident from the words which follow, relative to the same thing. “But the sons of Beliel, shall all of them as thorns be thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands. But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron, and the staff of a spear, and they shall be utterly burnt with fire in the same place.”

Exactly parallel with this prophecy, is that of the prophet Malachi. “Behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, all that do wickedly, shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as the calves in the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.”

But to return from this, which may seem to be some digression, or anticipation: The great and remarkable promise, so often made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and more than once mentioned by the Apostles, will next be considered. Tins promise was made to Abraham, and of him, three times. “In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” “All the nations of the earth snail be blessed in him.” “And in thy seed shall the nations of the earth be blessed.” And this same promise is made to Isaac. “I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father—and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” And to Jacob. “In thee, and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” The apostle Peter mentions this promise as referring to the days of the gospel. “Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, and in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.” The apostle Paul speaks of this promise as referring to Christ, and all who believe in him, making him to be the promised seed, and believers in him to be those exclusively who are blessed in him, in whom the promised good takes place. “Know ye, therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would the through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying. In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham—Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”

This prediction and promise is very express and extensive, That all the families, kindreds, and nations of the earth, should be blessed in Christ, by their becoming believers in him. This has never yet taken place, and cannot be fulfilled, unless christianity and the kingdom of Christ shall take place and prevail in the world to a vastly higher degree, and more extensively and universally, than has yet come to pass; and all nations, all the inhabitants of the earth, shall become believers in him, agreeable to a great number of other prophecies, some of which will be mentioned in this section.

The reign of Christ on earth, with his church and people, and the happiness and glory of that time, is a subject often mentioned, predicted and celebrated in the book of Psalms. To mention all that is there spoken with reference to that happy time, would be to transcribe great part of that book. Only the following passages will now be mentioned, which are thought abundantly to prove that the kingdom of Christ is to prevail and nourish in this world, as it has never yet done; and the church is to be brought to a state of purity, prosperity and happiness on earth, which has not yet taken place, and so as to include all nations, and fill the world.

In the second Psalm, it is predicted and promised, that the Son of God shall inherit and possess all nations, to the ends of the earth; which necessarily implies, that his church and kingdom shall be thus extensive, reaching to the ends of the earth, and including all the nations and men on earth. “I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” By Zion here is meant, as in numerous other places in the prophecies, the church of Christ, of which mount Zion was a type.

The twenty-second Psalm contains a prophecy of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that shall follow; and of the latter it is said; “The shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live forever. All the ends of the world shall remember, and turn unto the Lord: And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord’s; and he is the Governor among the nations: For evil doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the shall inherit the earth, and delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” This is a prediction of an event which has never taken place yet. Evil doers and the wicked have in all ages possessed the earth, and flourished and reigned in the world. When it is promised, that they who wait upon the Lord, and the shall inherit the earth, and delight themselves in the abundance of peace, the meaning must be, that persons of this character will yet have the possession of the earth, and fill the world, when no place shall be found for the wicked, as they shall be all destroyed, and their cause wholly lost. And all of this character who have lived before this time, and waited upon the Lord in the exercise of , shall flourish and live in their successors, and in the prosperity and triumph of the cause and interest, in which they lived and died. This is agreeable to other prophecies of this kind, as will be shewn in the sequel. “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord: And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.” Who can believe that this has ever yet been? But few of mankind, compared with the whole, have yet turned unto the Lord. By far the greatest part of the nations of the earth, even to the ends of the world, have worshipped, and do now worship false gods and idols. But when all the ends of the world shall remember, and turn to the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him; then the shall inherit the earth, and delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

The whole of the sixty seventh Psalm is a prediction of the same event, and of the same time, which is yet to come. It is a prayer of the church that such a time may take place; at the same time expressing her that it was coming; and the whole is a prophecy of it. “God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad, and sing for joy; for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Then shall the earth yield her increase: and God, even our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

The seventy second Psalm, the title of which is, “A Psalm for Solomon,” contains a prophecy of Christ and his kingdom, of whom Solomon was an eminent type. The Psalmist looks beyond the type to the antitype, and says things which can be applied to the latter only, and are not true of the former, considered as distinct from the latter; which is common in the scripture, in such cases. Here it is said, “He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass; as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. All kings shall fall down before him: All nations shall serve him. His name shall endure forever: His name shall be continued as long as the sun; and men shall be blessed in him: All nations shall call him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name forever, and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.”

“Arise, O God, judge the earth; for thou shalt inherit all nations.” In this Psalm, the rulers and judges among men are accused of unrighteousness, and condemned: and then the Psalmist concludes with the words now quoted, which refer to some future event, in which God should judge the earth, and inherit all nations, in a sense in which he has not yet done it. In the second Psalm, the , i.e., the nations, all nations, are given to Christ for his inheritance; and here the same thing is expressed, “Thou shalt inherit all nations;” and by his judging the. earth, is meant his reigning and subduing the inhabitants of the earth, to a cordial subjection to himself; which will be more evident by what follows, where we shall find the same thing predicted.

The ninety-sixth Psalm relates wholly to by Christ; to the happiness and glory of his kingdom, and his reign on earth. “O worship the Lord in the beauty of . Fear before him all the earth. Say among the , that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established, that it shall not be moved, he shall judge the people righteously. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad: Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein. Then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with and the people with his truth.” What is here foretold, is to take place before the end of the world, and the general judgment; and it relates to the whole world, all the earth and the nations in it; the kingdom and reign of Christ is to extend to all of them: And his coming to judge the earth, and the world in , intends his reigning in , and bringing all nations to share in the blessings of his salvation and kingdom. Agreeably to this, it is said of Christ, by Isaiah and Jeremiah, “Behold a king shall reign in . In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of to grow up unto David, and he shall execute judgment and in the land,” or in the earth.

Great part of the prophecy of Isaiah relates to the flourishing and happy state of the kingdom of Christ, and the prosperity of the church in the latter days. When he foretells the return of the people of Israel from the Babylonish captivity, which was a type of the deliverance of the church of Christ from spiritual Babylon, and from all her enemies in this world, visible and invisible, he commonly looks forward to the latter, and keeps that in view, and says things of it, which are not true of the former, and cannot be applied to it. And as Zion, Jerusalem, and Judah, and Israel, were types of the church and kingdom of Christ, as including all nations, the former are commonly mentioned only as types, being put for, and signifying the latter. And when the gospel day, the coming of Christ, and his church and kingdom, are brought into view, all that is included in these is comprehended; and commonly chief reference is had to the Millennium, or the day of the flourishing of the kingdom of Christ on earth, which is in a peculiar manner, and eminently the day of salvation; and will issue in the complete of the church, at and after the day of judgment. He who reads this prophecy with care and discerning will be convinced of the truth of these observations; and in any other view, great part of it cannot be understood.

Only part of the many prophecies of the glory and extent of the kingdom of Christ in this world, which are contained in this book, will be now mentioned, as those which are most express and clear, with reference to the subject in view. They who attentively read this prophecy will find many more which refer to the same event.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, 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 shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” It is certain that this prophecy has not been yet fulfilled, except in a very small degree, as the beginning, and first fruits of it.

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord: And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his cars. But with shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity, for the of the earth: And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”

This is evidently a prophecy of Christ, and his kingdom on earth. He shall judge and reprove for the of the earth, and slay all the wicked on earth, that the may inherit it; which is exactly agreeable to the forementioned prophecy in the thirty seventh Psalm. “Evil doers shall be cut off, and yet a little while and the wicked shall not be; but the shall inherit the earth; and delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” And this universal peace and harmony among men, which shall take place at that time, is expressed in the prophecy before us, in very strong, figurative language; by the wolf dwelling with the lamb, &c.—And the ground and reason of this is given. “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” By the knowledge of the Lord is meant true religion, or real christianity, which consists most essentially in benevolence and goodness, as has been shown. So far as this takes place, love, peace, and the most happy concord and union are promoted; and every thing contrary to this suppressed and banished. Therefore, when this shall take place universally among men, and fill the earth, as the waters cover the sea, there will be nothing to destroy or hurt, but universal safety, peace, and love. No such time has ever been yet known. The true knowledge of God has been so far from filling the earth, that gross darkness has covered much the greatest part of it; and real christianity has been confined to narrow bounds; and but very few of mankind have attained to the character of true christians, even where the gospel has been published. And a horrible scene of oppression, cruelty, war and murder, has spread all over the earth; and will continue to do so, until Christ shall arise and smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and slay the wicked with the breath of his lips; and cause the earth to be filled with the knowledge of God. Such a happy time is yet future, and will certainly come.

The twenty fifth chapter contains a prophecy of the same event, some of which is worthy to be transcribed. “And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees, well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces, and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God, we have waited tor him, and he will save us: This is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad, and rejoice in his salvation.”

The gospel is here represented by a rich feast; and it is promised that all people and nations shall have their eyes opened to see it; and all reproach and opposition to the church of Christ shall be taken away from off all the earth; and there shall be universal joy in the salvation, for which the church has long waited, and which shall come in the last day.

“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her is pardoned: For she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a high way for our Cod. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”

This is a prophecy of the times of the gospel, as it is thus applied in the New Testament. It does refer to the first introduction and the coming of Christ into the world; but is not confined to this: It gives a comprehensive view of this great salvation, and the favour and glory which is to come to the church of Christ in this world, and looks forward to the day when the glory of the Lord shall be so revealed, that all flesh, that is, all nations, all mankind, shall see it together. This has not yet been fulfilled; but is to be accomplished in a time yet to come, when “The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” All that precedes this day is preparatory to it, as the ministry of John the Baptist was an introduction to it, and more immediately prepared the way for Christ.

From the beginning of the fortieth chapter of Isaiah, to the end of the sixty sixth chapter, with which his prophecy closes, there is almost one continued series of predictions and promises of good, salvation, happiness and glory to the church of Christ, which have principal reference to the latter day, when the Millennium shall take place; and when they will have their chief accomplishment. It will be sufficient to answer the end now proposed, to mention the following passages.

Salvation by Christ is frequently represented as actually extended to the ends of the earth, which has not yet been accomplished. “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else. And he said, it is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the , that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”| The same phrase is used by the prophet Micah. “And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, and they shall : for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.”

The sixtieth chapter of Isaiah is filled with comfort and promises to the church, as also are the preceding chapters. The following expressions. may be particularly noted. “Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. The shall come to thy light, and kings to thy rising. Therefore, thy gates shall be open continually, they shall not be shut clay nor night, that men may bring unto thee the forces of the , and that their kings may be brought. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish: Yea, those nations shall be utterly “wasted.” No such event has been yet. When this shall take place, all nations, all mankind, must belong to the church; for all others shall be utterly wasted. The same thing is foretold by the prophet Zechariah.

The sixty first chapter of Isaiah is on the same subject, and the sixty second throughout. Upon such promises made to the church, she breaks forth into joy and praise, in the prospect of the good that is coming to her. “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; he hath covered me with the robe of , as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause and praise to spring forth before all nations.” “For Zion’s sake, I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake, I will not rest, until the thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the shall see thy , and all kings thy glory: And thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night. Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Go through, go through the gates; prepare you the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway, gather out the stones, lift up a standard for the people. Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. And they shall call them. The holy people, the of the Lord: And thou shalt be called. Sought out, A city not forsaken.” “Who hath heard such a thing! Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day, or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord. Shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the like a flowing stream.”