"forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail "nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment " in the earth, and the isles shall wait for his "law." Indeed this Divine influence was upon nim without measure, not only for his own comfort and encouragement, but for all kinds of illuminating, sanctifying, and saving communica tions to the world. Thus he is introduced, Isa. xi. 2-6. "The spirit of the Lord shall rest "upon him, the spirit of wisdom and under"standing, the spirit of counsel and might, 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 ears; but with righte"ousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove "with equity for the meek 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 righteousness shall be the girdle "of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his "reins." So that, as in verse 9, 10, "The earth "shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as "the waters cover the sea. And in that day "there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand

"for an ensign of the people: to it shall the "Gentiles seek, and his rest shall be glorious." With such a mind, manner, and influence, must not his religion spread and prevail till it finally triumph over the ignorance and errors, the prejudices and passions of the whole world, especially when following out the reference in our text, we contemplate all this marvellous grace, as clothed with authority and power equal to its benevolent intentions and beneficent operations.

He is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour; he hath on his vesture and on his thigh written, KING of Kings and LORD of Lords.' Where then is the kingdom, country, or clime into which he may not enter or cannot enter, when he pleases? As Creator he can claim the whole earth and its inhabitants as his exclusive property; as Redeemer he can justly insist upon the full possession of his purchase; as raised up and glorified at the Father's right hand, hath he not power given him over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as the Father hath given?

Hath not the Lord said unto our Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the

midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth. Possessing then all the attractions of personal excellence and worth; all the inclination and wishes of the purest and most enlarged benevolence; all the knowledge necessary to convince and instruct the world; all the grace, means, and influence adapted to the necessities of sinners, and his design of saving them; indisputed authority to command universal acknowledgment, and equal power to pun. ish the disobedient, may we not rely on him fully and without suspicion for the publication of his gospel, the erection and establishment of his throne, and the success of his administration in every region of the globe? Shall not men be blest in him, and all nations call him blessed?

If his favour and salvation are refused, and au thority resisted, can he not, shall he not bring upon such despisers wrath to the uttermost ? Every obstacle shall give way, and every enemy be reconciled or slain when he takes unto him his great power and reigns. He begins with conde. scension to teach and persuade; with grace in his heart and countenance to draw; with the sceptre

of peace in his hand to require and invite to a cheerful submission, and by the spirit of love and truth to convert and sanctify men to himself and his service. But after his goodness, long suffering, and patience have made the full trial of human nature which his infinite wisdom had prescribed, he will not wait a day or an hour longer; he will not leave an enemy to dispute his sovereignty; to oppose or retard the progress and triumphs of his religion; to disturb the peace or defile the purity of his church and kingdom. In vain shall the heathen rage, the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us, for he that sitteth in heaven shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision.

Then shall he speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure; he shall break them with a rod of iron, he shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Thus shall his enemies be clothed with shame, but upon his head shall the crown flourish. He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. In his days shall the righteous flour

ish, and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. Thus having made peace through the blood of his cross, shall he reign as Prince of Peace, reconciling all things unto his Father, and unto himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end; upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.-Suffer me now to close this discourse with a few plain inferences.

In the first place, it follows from what hath been said, that the Christian religion is entitled to the best reception among men. It first began to be spoken by the Lord, and hath been confirmed unto us by them that heard him, God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will. Independent of miraculous attestations, even his doctrine and manner of teaching extorted the confession of enemies that never man spake like this man. The intimate knowledge of his disciples, increased to