pire be established, and the stone cut out without hands become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth. Then the sceptre of Christ's universal kingdom shall be a sceptre of righteousness, and the words shall be fully accomplished that are spoken of him as the Messiah in the forty-fifth Psalm. "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever." Then God shall have taken away all his wrath, and turned himself from the fierceness of his anger. Then shall all nations whom he has made come and worship before him, and shall glorify his name. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Then shall the spirit be poured out upon all flesh, and all shall know the Lord, from the least of them unto the greatest of them. It is impossible for us to expect too highly concerning the millennium. We may see promises scattered throughout the sacred volume, concerning it, in endless profusion, and conceived in the most emphatic language. Glorious things are, indeed, spoken of the latter days, and of the happiness that is awaiting the generations to come; and of the ages of knowledge, stability, and peace that are to follow each other in long succession. Then the gates of the church shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night, that men may bring unto it the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. Then it shall be said

unto Zion, the sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee, but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. And thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever. The branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.

XVII. The moral world is still in a state of confusion and chaos, undergoing those changes and revolutions which are preparatory to its being brought into a state of order. The design of Providence at present is to "overturn, overturn, overturn," till He comes to whom the dominion by right belongs. It is in vain that men strive to raise up empires for themselves, their kingdoms are broken one over another, like waves upon a stormy sea. Yet, in the midst of confusion, order is beginning to appear. The foundations of the Messiah's empire are laid, and if nothing is permanent in this world's affairs, all things are in progress, and hasten on to the final event. We have the germ, but not the disclosure, of the future condition of the world. True science has commenced its career, though it is still in its rudiments. The greater part of the time that has been spent, has been wasted in the vain struggles of erroneous philosophy. True knowledge is but of yesterday; but even already new powers are produced for commanding nature, and

new prospects dawn upon society. All things are ready for the great and consummating change, except the hearts of Christians. May the Holy Spirit stir them up to fervent and effectual prayer, deliver them from all errors, and enlarge their minds to receive the Gospel in all its divine freedom and fulness, that they may become meet to share in the triumph and the dominion which is awaiting all the friends and followers of the truth.

THE END.

EDINBURGH:

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