ed to behold the Mohammedan, lewd, revengeful, bigoted, and seeking a paradise of sensuality by external ablutions, pilgrimages to Mecca, and stupid veneration for the Author of the Koran, publicly professing the faith, which he had persecuted for more than twelve centuries, and mingling his anthems with those of the very Christians, whom he had so long laboured to exterminate with the sword? What emotions must it excite in us to see the disciple of Brahma, trained for four thousand years in principles and practices of stupidity, licentiousness and crime, and bound by indissoluble chains as a gailey slave of superstition; the Chinese, the child of fraud and trick, a senseless votary of the Idol Fo, a mere mass of lust and brutishness; the Caffre, a human animal, raised but one degree above the verge of moral agency; the shrivelled inhabitant of New Holland; the sluggish native of Kamschatka; and the wolf-like American savage: all casting off their whole attire of sin and lust, of ignorance and frenzy, of fraud and revenge; and coming abroad, under the vernal influence of the Sun of heaven, in a new clothing of penitence, faith, and love? How wonderful a prospect would be presented to us by the conversion of the fool, who hath said in his heart," There is no God ;" and of the wretch, who had spent the whole of his preceding life in undermining the Scriptures, in laughing at the Saviour, and in labouring with all his powers to destroy Christianity? What a novel and delightful prospect will it be to see churches rise in the wastes of Arabia, and the forests of Tartary; on the savage shores of Nootka, and the burning sands of Negroland? How should we be startled to hear the enraptured songs of the Psalmist resounded by the precipices of Imaus; and the hymns of evangelical piety re-echoed by the cliffs of the Andes? The wilderness would, then indeed, blossom as the rose, and the desert be changed into the garden of God. Then the wolf would lie down with the lamb; the lion eat straw as the ox; the child play on the hole of the asp; and the weaned child on the den of the cockatrice.

III. These persons will enter the church of their own accord, and with great earnestness of mind.

All the declarations concerning them in the context, which relate to the subject, exhibit this truth in a decisive manner. The Prophet presents them to the church, and to us, as gathering

themselves together, to come unto her; and collecting all their treasures, to present them to her as a free-will offering. He describes them as spontaneously building up her walls; as cheerfully ministering to her necessity, and her comfort; as bowing themselves before her in humble confession of their former abuse; and as prostrating themselves at the soles of her feet, as an atonement for their opposition, injustice, and contempt. In the Text, also, they "fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows;" as bound homeward on a favourite undertaking; on an enterprize, which could not be delayed.

St. Paul informs us, that the future reception of the Jews into the church of Christ will be to the Gentiles as life from the dead. In other words, the Gentiles, roused by this great event, will, with one accord, awake from spiritual death to spiritual life; or, renouncing their former character of sin, will assume that of holiness, in a manner so extraordinary, as strongly to resemble the resurrection of the final day.

If we attentively consider the circumstances which will accompany this event, we cannot fail to discern, that the nature of the case lends the highest probability to the prediction. The system of truth, in the knowledge and obedience of which they will yield themselves to the Redeemer, is, to almost all these persons, unknown and unheard of. The views, which it will present to them at the time of their Conversion to God, will be new, strange, and surprising. It is a system, containing doctrines and precepts of unrivalled beauty, supreme excellence, and unexampled sublimity; doctrines and precepts, which Angels could not have devised, and which Angels will investigate with intense study and transport forever and ever. It is a system, which discloses all their duty to God, to themselves, and to their fellow-creatures. Finally, it is a system, which produces every virtue, communicates every comfort, and inspires every hope, found in the present life; and prepares them for endless improvement, exaltation and felicity, in the life to come.

The disposition, also, effectuated in them by the Spirit of Grace, under the influence of which they enter the Divine Kingdom, is a disposition, cheerfully acknowledging the truths, which they have imbibed, as the Word of God; realizing their own endless

interest in them all; and finding an entire delight in yielding to them perpetual obedience. It is a disposition, opening with an expansive benevolence, with a sublime friendship, to the various members of this delightful kingdom; rejoicing in their virtue and happiness; contributing, with vigorous efforts, to the advancement of both; and giving itself up to the contemplation, worship and enjoyment, of Infinite Perfection.

It is also to be remembered, that they are beings, created anew. Of rebels they have become children; of aliens they have become heirs; of outcasts they have become favourites of God; of nuisances to the universe they have become blessings. They are born into a new world; a world of light and glory, into which they have unexpectedly entered from a dungeon of sin, of darkness, and of woe. In a word, the doctrines and precepts imbibed, the character acquired, and the situation gained, are all such, as to fill the mind with the best thoughts, and the most delightful emotions; as to ennoble every faculty, and quicken every exertion. Who can doubt, that such men, so circumstanced, would manifest singular ardour of mind, when taking possession of blessings so numerous, and of such inestimable importance?

IV. They will possess a dove-like character.

The peculiar characteristics of the Dove are harmlessness, gentleness, affection, and constancy. Such are the attributes of those, who form this great assembly.

When the Spirit of Truth descended on Christ at his baptism, he assumed the visible form of a dove. In this manner he indicated his own character, and that of the Saviour, on whom he rested. "That which is born of the Spirit, is spirit." The disposition of Christians is produced by the regenerating power of the Holy Ghost; partakes of his proper character; and is, therefore, throughout the Scriptures denominated spiritual. Accordingly, the meek and humble virtues are, every where in the sacred volume, presented to us as the peculiar characteristics of this disposition. Not heroism, not magnanimity, but love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, are recited by St. Paul, as the peculiar fruits of the Spirit in the renovated mind.

It is the essential characteristic of Christians to have the same

mind, which was also in Christ, and to walk as he also walked. What was the predominating character of Christ? It was, as I remarked, beautifully imaged by the descent of the Spirit upon him in the form of a dove; and is every where described in the Scriptures, in exact conformity to this divine symbol. "Take my yoke upon you," says this glorious Person to the world of suffering sinners, " and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart." "Such an high priest," says St. Paul," became us, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed his cause to Him that judgeth righteously." "He was led," saith the Prophet Isaiah, "as a lamb to the slaughter; and, as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so opened he not his mouth." Such is the character of the Redeemer, universally exhibited. The same character Christians are both commanded, and declared, to possess, in the sacred volume. Christ, when his apostles went out upon their first mission, directed them to be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Of his church He says, "My sister, my dove, my undefiled, is but one." The Psalmist, also, in a prayer to God, says, "O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the wicked; forget not the congregation of thy poor forever."

This character is pre-eminently lovely. To be harmless, bumble, meek, gentle, affectionate and faithful, is to be highly excellent, useful and praise-worthy. "The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit," says St. Peter," is in the sight of God of great price."

What a change must be wrought in the great body of mankind, before they can possess this distinguished excellence! What impure and proud hearts must they resign; what fierce and bloody passions must they overcome; what deceitful and fraudulent purposes must they renounce; what unjust and oppressive lives must they reform; in order to resemble doves; in order to resemble Christ? What a new face would this melancholy world of sin and sorrow wear, if inhabited by beings, instamped with this divine image of the Redeemer! How soon would tyranny and war; how soon would fraud and robbery; how soon would gambling houses and brothels; how soon would jails and gibbets ;

vanish from the earth; and leave its face clear for peace and good neighbourhood; for piety and love; for gratitude and praise! Heaven would once more shine with pristine benignity upon the earth; paradise again blossom on its surface; and angels become, anew, the visitors of men.

REMARKS.

1st. From these Observations it is evident, that there will, hereafter, be a general Revival of Religion in the world.

The change, whose effects have been here described, will be no other than a change from sin to holiness. The only difference, made in the state of the world, at the time which is usually called the Millennium, will be accomplished merely by the prevalence of religion throughout the earth, and by the consequences, which religion draws in its train. The sole distinction in the character of Adam, before, and after, he became an apostate, was, that in the former case he was religious, and in the latter sinful. Eden was formed, and garnished, as the proper mansion of religious Adam. A world of thorns and briers, of toil and death, was fitted to be the residence of sinful Adam. If he had not sinned, paradise would have bloomed forever.

In a future, happier state of this world, mankind will universally become religious; and fly as a cloud, into the kingdom of Christ. Renewed by his Spirit, and transformed into his image, they will receive his doctrines and precepts, confide in his atonement, yield themselves to his government, and follow his example. All these, however, it is unnecessary to say, are nothing more, than merely to become subjects of his religion. The blessings, conferred on them at this period, however great, numerous or permanent, will only spring up as the proper consequences of this character.

Whenever men in considerable numbers become, within a short period, subjects of piety. Religion is, in customary language, said to have revived. A Revival of Religion, therefore, means nothing more, than that multitudes, in a kind of concert, and within a little time, feel, and confess, its power. Of course, the wonderful change in this world, at the commencement of the Millennium,