come to pafs in the last day, when the mountain of the Lord's houfe fhall be established in the top of the mountains, and fhall be exalted above the hills; then fays the prophet, "All nations fhall flow unto it." This means the time when the nations fhall go up from year to year to worship the king. It is declared that ALL nations fhall flow unto the mountain of the Lord's house, and that they shall go to be taught of the Lord, and to hear the law and word which fhall go forth from him to all the nations of the earth.

This fame general meeting of all nations, is mentioned in Ifaiah lxvi. 18, 19, 20, "It fhall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they fhall come and fee my glory." Here we are told that all nations fhall come and fee the glory of the Lord. This great meeting of the nations, is mentioned in Zechariah viii. 20, 21, 22, 23, "Thus faith the Lord of hofts, it fhall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities; and the inhabitants of one city fhall go to another, faying, let us go fpeedily to pray before the Lord, and to feek the Lord of hofts; I will go alfo; yea, mamany people and strong nations fhall come to feek the Lord of hofts in Jerufalem, and to pray before the Lord. Thus faith the Lord of hofts, in thofe days it fhall come to pass, that ten men fhall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the fkirt of him that is a Jew, faying, we will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you."

How can any thinking perfon read this prophecy, and doubt that there will be a time when all nations will af femble at Jerufalem to worship the king, the Lord of hofts? It is particularly mentioned that the inhabitants of many cities fhall go to pray before the Lord; that many people and ftrong tions fhall feek the Lord in Jerufalem; and that men out of all languages fhall even take hold of the skirt of the Jew, faying, we will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. To fpiritualize this, or make it mean what it does not fay, is folly in the extreme.

21.

It may be faid by fome, that though thefe prophecies fpeak of a general gathering of all nations in Jerufalem; yet they do not mention that they fhall meet from year to year. True, thefe places do not; but there is one 75 that does, Zechariah xiv. 16, "And it fhall come to 2 pafs, that every one that is left, of all the nations which 3 came against Jerufalem, fhall even go up from year to year to worship the king, the Lord of hofts, and to keep the feaft of tabernacles."

In the first part of this chapter, we are told of the great army gathered out of all nations, to fight against Jerufalem, and how the Lord Jefus will cut them off when his feet stand on the mount of Olives. We are alfo told of the plague that fhall be on man and beast. See verse 2, 3, 4, 12, 15. All this is to take place when *Chrift comes to reign upon the earth. By reading the 16th verfe, it is plain that a great part of the nations will be cut off in this dreadful battle. In this verfe we are told in plain words, that thofe who are left of the na tions that were deftroyed fhall go up from year to year to Jerufalem, to worship that Lord (who cut off their relations when they went to make war with the Jews in the land of Canaan ;) and to keep the feaft of tabernacles. If this place does not mean as it fays, the prophe cies are an impofition.

The judgments which will come on the nations, which fhall refufe to go up to Jerufalem, from year to year, prove that fuch a time will come when all nations will really meet from year to year in Jerufalem. It is faid that the nation that fhall refufe to go up, fhall be deprived of rain, which will certainly caufe a famine. See verfe 17. "And it fhall be, that whofo will not come up of all the familles of the earth, unto Jerufalem to wor fhip the king, the Lord of hofts, even upon them fhall be

no rain."

This verfe fhows that fuch a meeting is really meant, as is stated in verse 16. Though this would be a great judgment on the nations in general; yet this would be no punishment on the inhabitants of Egypt, for they do not depend on the rain, (for they have none) but on the

river Nile, which annually overflows its banks, by which the earth is watered. This circumftance is particularly noticed by the prophet, as it refpects the Egyptians, Verse 18, 19, "And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain, there fhall be the plague wherewith the Lord will fmite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This fhall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations, that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles." If fcripture declarations are any proof of thefe great annual meetings, I am fure that thefe must be fufficient to convince every candid enquirer after truth.

Many people when they hear of fuch things as these, object against them because they do not fee how they can be accomplished; but remember he that has faid, will do it, and he that has promised, will perform. Whoever looks upon the maps of the world, and views the fituation of Jerufalem, may foon be convinced that it is poffible for people to meet at Jerufalem from all parts of the world where men live; for Jerufalem is fituated in the midst of the nations round about. Ezekiel v. 5, "Thus faith the Lord, this is Jerufalem; I have fet it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her." According to the maps, there is a communication from every part of the world. The Mediterranean fea is the western boundary of the land of Canaan, and on the oppofite fide is the red fea, which is an arm of the western ocean, and the furrounding oceans feem almost to meet at Jerufalem, and this tells us how easily all nations by fea and land may meet at Jerufalem, when the Lord Jefus reigns there as king over the whole earth.

Many things more might be faid; but, this I think is fufficient to convince the reader of the fact stated in the firft propofition, viz. that when Chrift reigns on the earth a thousand years, all nations will meet there from year to year, during one thousand years.

"O glorious hour, O bleffed day;
What a large victory fhall enfue,
And converts who thy grace obey,
Exceed the drops of morning dew."

I now proceed to the fecond particular, viz; 2. The defign of this meeting, or what it is for.

Such a meeting as this, must be for fomething of great importance to those who meet, and to those on whofe account they meet.

There are feveral things which will be of importance, to those who meet, and to others who do not attend the great yearly meeting at Jerufalem.

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1. The first thing of importance, in going up to Jerufalem from year to year, will be to fee the city, Jerufalem, when it is rebuilt, and the holy houfe which shall be built in the city.

Where is the Jew or Gentile who would not now with to fee Jerufalem, though almoft in ruins? How would a believer in Jefus be gratified to fee the place where his Lord was crucified, and where he lay in the new tomb, which is now fhewn to travellers? But to fee the city when it is rebuilt, and the holy houfe far exceeding that built by Solomon, how delightful muft the fight be! Each one at this fight muft fay, " Beautiful for fituation, the joy of the whole earth is mount Zion; on the fides of the north, the city of the great King; God is known in her palaces for a refuge."

At that time when the nations are gathered, it will be faid by them," As we have heard, fo have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God; God will eftablish it forever. We have thought of thy loving kindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. According to thy name, O God, fo is thy praise unto the ends of the earth; thy right hand is full of right'eoufnefs."

It is impoffible to defcribe the pleafure this city and temple must afford all the friends of Chrift, when they fee the city they have fo often heard of, efpecially when in addition to all this, they fhall fee the king in his beauty.

2. Another thing to be attended to, in going to this great yearly meeting, will be to fee the raised faints, who will then be with Chrift in Jerufalem; the apoftles being twelve kings, on twelve thrones, judging the twelve

tribes of Ifrael. What a fight will this be, when they fhall come from the east, weft, north and fouth, and fet down with Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob in the kingdom, with all the prophets, and all that were beheaded for the word of God and the teftimony of Jefus, when they fhall reign with him a THOUSAND YEARS!

3. Another thg peculiar to this yearly meeting will be, to meet their brethren from every part of the world,. to hear and know the general state of the kingdom which. will then fill the whole earth.

An annual meeting now, of brethren who meet from a few miles distance, affords great joy, when they meet in love; but what is all this to a meeting of brethren from all nations under heaven, whofe hearts are filled with love to Chrift, and all his fubjects! The very thought of fuch a meeting affords joy; but, O! the joy fuch a meeting muft afford to all who are favoured with the privi lege of ftanding within the gates of Jerufalem in that` day!

4. Another thing peculiar to that great meeting, will be to fee the King who will then reign over all the earth. There is no doubt in my mind, but that they will fee. the accomplishment of what is written in Ifaiah xxxiij. 1 19, 20, 21, 22, 24" Thine eyes fhall fee the king in his beauty. They fhall behold the land that is very far off; thou fhalt not fee a fierce people, a people of a. deeper fpeech that thou canft not perceive; of a stammering tongue that thou canst not understand. Look upon Zion, the city of our folemnities; thine eyes fhall fee Jerufalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that fhall not be taken down; not one of the ftakes thereof fhall ever be removed, neither fhall any of the cords thereof be broken; but there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and ftreams; wherein fhall go no galley with oars, neither fhall gallant fhip pafs thereby;. for the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will fave us. And the inhabitants fhall not fay, I am fick; the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquities,”