Ver. 18. who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the FATHER OF MANY NATIONS. πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν, where we may obferve the word elvwv (nations),-muft refer to other nations than the Jews; and according to its ufual interpretation, and meaning, even to nations of the Gentiles. Then alfo will be fulfilled in their fullest extent, those words of Our Bleffed Lord Himself; that Matthew, chap. v. Ver. 5. The meek,-fhall inherit the EARTH. Which words could never imply merely a reference to that great blessedness alone, of their reward and bleffing in heaven above. And then alfo fhall come to pass, in the completeft manner, that full extent of Divine Knowledge foretold by the Prophet. Jeremiah, chap. xxxi. Ver. 34. They shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother ; Saying, faying,-KNOW THE LORD: for they all fhall know ME, from the least of them unto the greateft, faith THE LORD:-for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their fin no more. - Whilft, therefore, we are taught to wait for fuch a glorious state of things, to take place, even upon earth, after our Lord's fecond advent; we fhould be careful to attend minutely to the whole tenor of the words of Sacred Writ, as taken together in one coinciding point of view, with regard to the ftate of things to exift just previous to His fecond coming. And fo confidering them, it appears to me that those words are not compatible with the idea that there should be fuch a total falling away, before the fecond coming of THE MESSIAH, that no one should be found believing. It seems in fhort, to be no more confiftent with fair and juft interpretation, of the Divine Words of Holy Scripture, to infer that all the whole world will become utterly apoftate, before the second coming of OUR LORD,—than to infer, that all the world will be converted, and become Chriftian before that glorious advent. The The facts prophefied of feem rather most plainly to be;-that there will indeed have been, on the one hand, a moft dreadful and Shameful apoftacy amongst all nations ;—and that nevertheless, on the other hand, the sound* and tidings of the Gospel will have fo gone forth into all the earth; that it will indeed have been preached more or less in all regions. in fome degree t; as we now find to have actually been the cafe:--that the number of fincere, apprehensive, and enlightened Chriftians that shall remain, will however be few, and scattered upon the face of the earth ;-but that there fhall, nevertheless, both be those, who enduring to the end shall be saved ‡ ;—and also thofe, who, though the Gofpel had for a time been preached unto them in vain, shall yet, at laft, above all others, remember themfelves §, and turn unto THE LORD. * Romans, chap. x. ver. 18. + Matthew, chap. xxi. ver. 14. Matthew, chap. x. ver. 22. chap. xxiv. ver. 13. |