are placed in Canaan, God's servant David shall be their prince for ever, Ezek. xxxvii. 25. And that all the nations of the earth shall be subservient to them, Isa. Ix. 12. The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee, shal perish: Yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. But if these prophecies foretell the conversion of the Jews, the particulars mentioned in them will all happen. The converted Jews, in the Christian church, will not, as formerly under the law of Moses, be polluted with any ceremonial transgression: Neither will they be righteous, merely by performing ritual services, but by doing pious and virtuous actions. And in the Christian church, Christ called David, because he was prefigured by David, will rule them for ever. Moreover, the nation that will not serve them in their converted state, namely, by building up their walls, as it is explained, Isa. lx. 10. that is by entering into the Christian church and strengthening it, shall be utterly wasted.

2. Secondly, That Isaiah's new heaven and new earth, and Ezekiel's country and city, are the same with the new heaven and new earth, and the heavenly Jerusalem which John saw in his visions, will appear from comparing their several descriptions of these matters. Isaiah's new heaven and new earth, which God is to create, are to be so excellent, that the former shall not be remembered, Isa. lxv. 17. Wherefore they are to be created after the former heaven and earth are passed away. In this circumstance they agree with John's new heaven and new earth; for he saw these after the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, Rev. xxi. 1.-Next, as in Isaiah's new Jerusalem, which God is to create a rejoicing, the voice of weeping shall be no more heard, Isa. lxv. 19. So in John's new Jerusalem, there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, Rev. xxi. 4.-Farther, as Isaiah said to the Israelites, chap. lx. 19. The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light to thee; but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. So of his new Jerusalem, John says, Rev. xxi. 23. The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of the Lord did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.— And with respect to Ezekiel's waters, which issued out from under the threshold of the house, and became a great river, Ezek. xlvii. 1.-5. it is the same with John's pure river of water of life proceeding out of the throne of God, Rev. xxii. 1. For, as on the banks of Ezekiel's river, a tree grew which brought forth

new fruit according to his months,—and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine, Ezek. xlvii. 12. So on either side of John's river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations, Rev. xxii. 2.

These descriptions agree so exactly in all points with each other, that it is reasonable to suppose the subject of the prophecies and of the vision is the same: Wherefore, as John saw the new heaven and the new earth, and the heavenly Jerusalem, and the pure river of water of life issuing out of the throne of God, and the tree of life growing on its banks, after the resurrection of the dead and general judgment, and punishment of the wicked, (Rev. xx. 11.-15.) I think it probable, that the prophecies, in which all these particulars are mentioned, foretell the state of things after the resurrection, and general judgment; consequently, that Isaiah's new heaven and new earth, and Ezekiel's country and city, are the heavenly country promised to Abraham, and to his spiritual seed, in the covenant.

3. In the third place, St. Peter hath directed us to interpret Isaiah's prophecy and John's vision, of the heavenly country in which the righteous are to live after the resurrection and judgment. For, after describing the utter destruction of the present heavens and earth by fire, he adds, 2 Pet. iii. 13. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, expect new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. These great events, he tells us, will happen when Christ returns from heaven to raise the dead and judge the world: and calls it, the restitution of all things; and affirms, that God hath spoken of it by all his holy prophets since the world began. Acts iii. 19. Repent ye, therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. 20. And he shall send Jesus Christ, who before was preached to you, 21. Whom the heavens must receive, till the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. But where hath God promised to create new heavens and a new earth, wherein righteousness is to dwell, except in the covenant with Abraham, in which he promised an heavenly country to Abraham's spiritual seed? And where do we find, that God hath spoken of the restitution of all things, by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world

began, unless it be in that covenant, and in the prophecies which foretell the fulfilment of the promises in that covenant.

Of the form and constitution of the heavenly country, to be created for an everlasting habitation to Abraham's seed by faith, we know little, except, 1. That it will be a material habitation. For, as the righteous are to be raised with glorious, incorruptible, and immortal bodies, their everlasting habitation must be suited to the corporeal part of their nature, raised from the dead in the greatest perfection of which it is capable. See 1 Cor. xv. 44. note. Hence the propriety of representing the heavenly country, under the image of the earthly Canaan.-2. The new heavens and the new earth, being destined for an habitation to all the virtuous and the good, who have lived and who are to live in the world from first to last, they must be such as are capable of containing them, and with them such of the angelical natures as are to live with them in their new abode.-3. In scripture there are passages which lead us to believe, that God will dwell with the righteous in the heavenly country, by some visible manifestation of his presence, unspeakably more resplendent than the glory by which he manifested his presence among the Israelites. Now, although God can receive no addition to his happiness from the excellency of his own works, we may suppose that the new heavens and earth will be so much the more exquisitely contrived, and so much the more glorious, that he himself is to be sensibly present with his people. Wherefore, if the present earth, even as it lieth under the curse, and is the habitation of sinners, affords its inhabitants such a variety of enjoyments, how full of pleasures must the heavenly country be, which God's wisdom hath contrived, and his power created, for the entertainment of his favourite people. Isa. lxv. 18. Be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people. See Spectator, vol. 8. No. 580. where the future habitation of the righteous, and their happiness in that abode, are elegantly described.

SECTION V.

Of the fifth Promise in the Covenant with Abraham.

This promise we have Gen. xii. 2. I will bless thee and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing: 3. And in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.-xviii. 18. Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.

Concerning this promise let it be observed, that although at the time it was spoken, Abraham may have thought it a promise of great temporal felicity only, to him and to the families of the earth through him, in some manner which he did not understand; yet afterwards, when God counted his faith to him for righteousness, and constituted him the father of many nations, he might conjecture, that the counting of his faith to him for righteousness, was what God meant by blessing him, as was observed page 8; And that by constituting him the father of many nations, he was to make his name great; And that the blessing of all the families of the earth in him, consisted in their having their faith counted to them for righteousness, by virtue of the promise which God made to him as their father.

But whether Abraham understood this to be the meaning of the promise or not, what Paul wrote to the Galatians, shews that it is its true meaning, Gal. iii. 13. Christ hath bought us off from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the nations through Jesus Christ. For what blessing belonging to Abraham, can come on the nations through Christ's buying them off from the curse of the law, unless it be the blessing of justification mentioned ver. 8. that is, the blessing of having their faith counted to them for righteousness, called the blessing of Abraham, because it was first promised to him personally by a covenant; and because in that covenant, God promised to him to bestow the same blessing on men of all nations, who imitated him in his faith and obedience, and who, on that account, are considered by God as his children. For, as was shewn page 17, Abraham was constituted the father of many nations, for the express purpose of receiving the promises in the covenant on their behalf, and in their name. Wherefore, seeing the counting of Abraham's faith to him for righteousness implied, as was shewed p. 9, that his sins were to be pardoned, and that he was to be rewarded as a righteous person, God's blessing all the families of the earth in him, implied, that all who imitated him in his faith and obedience, were to have their sins in like manner pardoned, and to receive the reward due by God's promise to righteous persons; and that they are to be thus blessed, in consequence of the promise made to Abraham as the father of all believers.

This blessing of faith counted to them for righteousness, will assuredly come on all the families of the earth. For, as was shewed in the Illust. of Rom. ii. p. 198, Vol. I. sect. 2. if faith

does not consist in the belief of things which one hath no opportunity of knowing, but in the belief of such things as are made known to him, whether by the light of nature, or by revelation, and in a sincere disposition to know and do the will of God, men in every age and nation may exercise true faith, and may have that faith counted to them for righteousness, on account of what Christ hath done to procure that great blessing for them, whether they have lived in, or out of God's visible church. But it will not be bestowed on them till the general judgment, when their trial being ended, their state will be settled by the sentence of their Judge. For, seeing the pardon of sin consisteth in a complete deliverance from death the punishment of sin, and seeing the rewarding one as a righteous person, implieth his actually receiving the reward due to a righteous person, it is evident that neither of these can take place till the judgment is ended. At that period of the divine government, the promise to bless all the families of the earth in Abraham, will be performed in the full extent of its meaning. Because then, every one who is found to have feared God and to have wrought righteousness, shall be accepted with him, whether they have lived in any visible church of God, or not; for the Judge of all the earth is no respecter of persons, Acts x. 34.

The foregoing interpretation of God's promise to bless all the families of the earth in Abraham, is confirmed by St. Paul, as was hinted above. For he hath declared, that the blessing of the nations in Abraham, consisteth in God's justifying them by faith, Gal. iii. 8. Now the scripture foreseeing that God would justify the nations by faith, preached the gospel (the good news) to Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed. 9. Wherefore they who are of faith, are blessed with believing Abraham. After this testimony of an inspired apostle, can there be any doubt concerning the meaning of God's promise to bless all the families of the earth in Abraham ?

SECTION VI.

Of the sixth Promise in the Covenant with Abraham.

This promise was made to Abraham, after he had laid Isaac on the altar, with an intention to offer him as a burnt-offering; and is recorded, Gen. xxii. 18. In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Because Isaiah had said to the Israelites, chap. lx. 3. The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy ris