service; and therefore disengaged themselves from the business of the world as frequently as their circumstances would permit, that they might be employed in the observance of religious institutions.-The same spirit of true piety will yet be revived. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities. And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.' Zech. viii. 20—22.

Fifthly, We have an account of their privileges in different particulars, the first and most remarkable of which, as it lies at the foundation of all the rest, is the gracious presence of God among them: And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.-There is supposed to be a twofold allusion in this context which requires to be explained. First, to the miraculous cloud with which the camp of the children of Israel was covered in the wilderness, as in the second clause; for the words may be read, He that sitteth upon the throne shall cover them with his shadow; and, in consequence of this covering, they will be protected against the evils after-mentioned. Secondly, To the feast of tabernacles, when the Jews dwelt in booths, or tents, formed of the branches of trees, and were accustomed to bring water from a fountain in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, and pour it out before the Lord. In other parts of Scripture, the prosperous condition of the church in the latter days is described in allusion to this feast.

It shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem, shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.' Zech. xiv. 16. The design of this feast was, to commemorate the condition of the church in the wilderness, when her members dwelt in temporary huts, and under a miraculous cloud, which intercepted the rays of the sun, and was a shadow from the heat in the day, and the

shining of a flaming fire for their direction in the night. This feast had a native tendency to fill them with gladness at the consideration of their being come to the rest and inheritance which was promised; and was therefore celebrated with every demonstration of gladness.

From whatever objects the allusions are borrowed, the meaning of the privilege first mentioned can hardly be misapprehended. The words contain a positive assurance respecting God's gracious presence with the church in the latter days. In some measure this has been her privilege in all ages; but by far the most remarkable indications of it are reserved for the last times of her militant state. No one that saw the pillar of cloud and fire in the wilderness could entertain a doubt of the presence of God in the camp. And, in the latter days, there will be as little reason to question the truth of this privilege; for though it may not be attested by preternatural signs in the earth and in the heavens, the spiritual demonstration of it, by countless miracles of grace and mercy, will be so clear and convincing, that the mouth of every adversary will be shut, and the heart of every friend of the church will rejoice. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold, out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.' Zech. viii. 23. The prophecy before us synchronizes with the new Jerusalem state of the church described in chap. xxi.; and the great and leading blessing promised there is the same with that which is promised in this verse. I heard,' says John, "I heard,' says John, a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.' chap. xxi. 3.

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Inseparably connected with the invaluable privilege of the Divine presence is the one next mentioned, which consists in being secured against the recurrence of those evils to which

they had often been subjected in former periods of their existence. This is stated in ver. 16: They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. This promise contains ample security both against the evil arrows of famine, and all measures of open hostility in the way of persecution.-With respect to the first, it is promised that they should hunger no more, neither thirst any more. The latter days are often represented as a season of great outward plenty. It is then that the earth is to yield her increase, Psal. lxvii. 6. The seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew, Zech. viii. 12. But whatever reference this promise may have to temporal benefits, it must be understood as having a special reference to the copious measure of spiritual blessings which shall then be enjoyed. In that happy period there will not be such a thing as a famine of the bread, or of the water of life. Public teachers will not be cut off, nor driven into corners; nor will they be so faithless as to withhold any part of that provision which God has made in his word for the nourishment of souls. The spiritual manna will be rained in plenty around all the dwellings of the church. All the rivers of Judah will flow with water; floods shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.'

A spiritual famine prevailed during the whole period of the reign of Antichrist. That destroyer of souls did every thing he could to fell down all the good trees of the church, to mar the fertility of her best fields, and to stop all the wells that had been opened for the refreshment of her members. There was not an ordinance of religion which he did not corrupt, nor any thing that pertained to the scriptural discipline and order of the church which he did not pervert; till he went as far as it was possible for him, in the execution of his designs of soulmurder, to proceed, when he deprived her members of the only remaining source of life and comfort, by denying them the use of the Bible. When thus the ample stores of provision con

tained in the holy Scriptures were locked up under the bann of Popish excommunications, and ministers of the Gospel were prevented, by the most violent and bloody persecutions, from proclaiming its great and important truths, a famine of the bread and water of life behoved to ensue. Millions and hundreds of millions perished through lack of food. But such mournful times will never return; in the latter days they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more.

With respect to persecution, the other evil against which this text furnishes sufficient security, it is promised that the sun shall not light on them, nor any heat. The allusion is to a tropical sun, whose powerful rays are almost intolerable, especially in the midst of such extensive deserts as those through which the children of Israel passed in their way to Canaan: but for the cloud by which they were protected they could not have lived under his beams. This mystical sun must be understood of all those violent and forcible measures which the enemies of the church are inclined to employ against her. In the latter days the sword of persecution shall rest in the scabbard; and till the scenes of the last judgment are about to be opened, it will not be awaked out of sleep. The ways of Zion will be frequented, and no man will dare to give the travellers any molestation;-the nations of the world will forget their animosities; those deadly feuds which still prevail among them will end in a lasting tranquillity. The peace of the church will be no less remarkable. When her members see eye to eye in the matters of God, party names and distinctions must cease; and when such harmony of sentiment will be found among them, no one will breathe any thing like the spirit of intolerance against another. The Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day-time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.' Isa. iv. 5, 6.

Another distinguished privilege here promised is the clear and ample demonstration of Christ's pastoral care over the church. This we have stated in the beginning of ver. 17; For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters. The Saviour of the church is often represented under the emblem of a shepherd, and the people whom he was to save are described as his flock: he is the chief shepherd, because he has the charge or oversight of the whole flock. In all ages he has exercised a pastoral care about them; and he will continue to watch over their interests till every individual that was given him shall be brought in safety to the fold of glory. The text contains a promise which is pleadable in every period of the church; but from the connexion in which it is placed, we are led to conceive that its most remarkable accomplishment is reserved for the last times of the church. When the innumerable multitude, shining in all the beauties of holiness, shall appear, clothed in white robes, and with palms in their hands, it will then be manifest that Jesus, the shepherd of the sheep, has been feeding in the name of the Lord, and in the strength of the majesty of his God. His pastoral care will be conspicuous in the ample protection which they will enjoy, in the rich green pastures with which they shall be fed, and in the sound healthy state of the flock. No lion nor any ravenous beast shall break in among them; no enemy will be permitted to soil their pastures, or poison their springs; nor will any unclean and infectious disease appear among them; the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick. What was literally true of ancient Israel will be spiritually true of this multitude: None were feeble among their tribes, Psal. cv. 37.-This good shepherd will provide them with all those things that may be necessary for their subsistence, and likewise with every thing that can minister to their spiritual comfort; for he will lead them to living fountains; by the springs of water he will guide them.' The Spirit of all grace, whose influences are often represented under the emblem of water, will be plentifully afforded.

• It shall