who had backslidden from him, are further expressed in a promise of enlarging the Church, in making it glorious in itself, and of a sweet smell to others. As in the former, grace was expressed under the figures and terms of dew, lily, and roots of Lebanon: so in the present text, the free love of the Lord God, is set forth by the olive tree, and the sweet smell of Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. The images made use of, to express and set forth the beauty and perfume of the church of Christ in the last days of the world, are most charming and delightful. The church is the same now in the person of Christ, it will be then: so that the true members of Christ may view themselves in Christ, and bless themselves as being blessed in him, and as truly complete in him, as any of his members in succeeding generations ever will be; yet, the church of Christ in her visible appearance, will more openly be glorious in that state of the church which is yet to take place: when she will be more, and further enlarged in numbers, and extent, in gifts and graces, in light and knowledge, and when the following promise shall receive its final accomplishment. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by

the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts: and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Jer. xxxi. 31–34. It is then that the great head of the church, the great shepherd of the flock, the Lord Jesus Christ shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. Micah. v. 4. At this time there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. May the Lord most graciously assist me in opening and explaining the present text and subject, which I will endeavour to do in the following order:

First-In speaking concerning the enlargement of the church expressed in these words, His branches shall spread.

Secondly-The glory and beauty of the church as enlarged, is thus expressed, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, which consists in its al

ways continuing beautiful, it being green, fruitful, and large. This shall be opened and explained, that the figure here made use of, to express the glory of the church, be not lost.

Thirdly-The sweet savour of the church to others, which is a further enlargement of the church's perfection, And his smell as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. May the Lord shine upon this most transcendant description of the church of Christ, in her glory and beauty in the latter day, and on our going over the words before us, which are descriptive of the same. Lord Jesus Christ grant us this favour and blessing, for thy great name's sake. Amen.

I. I am to speak concerning the enlargement of the church, as expressed in the words, His branches shall spread. I would here recite the former verse again, that its connexion with these words, and these with it, may not be overlooked and forgotten. I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his rools as Lebanon. His branches shall spread. As the establishment of the church was intended in the former figure, so as this stands in connexion with that, it must of necessity follow, that these branches must spring out of the roots of Lebanon. The roots of Lebanon were that part of the tree which fastened the same to

the earth, and in which the life of the tree is contained. To take root, to spread out the roots, is to be fixed; thus to be rooted and grounded in Christ, is to be firmly established in the knowledge of him, in the faith of him, and in an experience and confirmation of his truths. The branches of Lebanon were the sprouts of the stem of the tree, which yielded protection and shade, beauty and perfume, to the beholder. The trees of Lebanon and the branches on them must have made a most noble appearance: when they shook they must have made a considerable noise: as the branches spread and increased, their glory and dignity must more fully appear. Thus the church of Christ, as it shall be enlarged by the accession of Jews and Gentiles into it, is here set forth by these words; which express and contain the Lord's own declaration and promise concerning it. His branches shall spread. It must be so, when a nation shall be born at once, when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea, when all Israel shall be saved, when from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, Jehovah's name shall be great among the Gentiles: and in every place, incense, saith the Lord, shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of Hosts. The following words also belong to the blessedness of the church, in members and grace,

in the future state of the church. Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. Isaiah xlix, 22, 23. From these various Scriptures we may well adopt the words of the Psalmist and say, Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah: This indeed deserves to be marked well. I will request these words may be attended unto. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from

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