An humble attempt to promote explicit agreement and visible union of God's people in…

It would be unreasonable to say, These are only bold Figures, used after the Manner of the Eastern Nations, to express the great Extent of the Christian Church, at and after the Days of Constantine: To say so, would be in Effect to say, that it would have been impossible for God, if he had desired it, plainly to have foretold any Thing that should absolutely have extended to all Nations of the Earth. I question whether it be possible to find out a more strong Expression, to signify an absolute Universality of the Knowledge of the true Religion through' the habitable Word, than that in Isai. xi.9. The Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord, AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEAS. Which i• as much as to say, As there is no Place in the vast Ocean where there is not Water, so there shall be no Part of the World of Mankind where there is not the Knowledge of the Lord; as there is no Part of the wide Bed or Cavity possessed by the Sea, but what is covered with Water, so there shall be no Part of the habitable World, that shall not be covered by the Light of the Gospel, and possessed by the true Religion. Waters are often in Prophecy put for Nations and Multitudes of People: So the Waters of the main Ocean seem sometimes to be put for the Inhabitants of the Earth in general; as in Ezekiel's Vision of Waters of the Sanctuary (Ezek. xlvii.) which flowed from the Sanctuary, and ran East, 'till they came to the Ocean, and were at first a small Stream, but continually increased 'till they became a great River; and when they came to the Sea, the Water even of the vast Ocean was healed (Ver. 8.) representing the Conversion of ⟨p. 32⟩the World to the true Religion in the latter Days.— It seems evident, that the Time will come, when there will not be one Nation remaining in the World, which shall not embrace the true Religion, in that God has expressly revealed, that no one such Nation shall be left standing on the Earth; Isai. lx.12. The Nation and Kingdom that will not serve Thee shall perish; yea, those Nations shall be utterly wasted.—God has declared that Heathen Idolatry and all the Worship of false gods shall be wholly abolished, in the most universal Manner, so that it shall be continued in no Place under the Heavens, or upon the Face of the Earth;