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It is not necessary to inquire minutely into the original application of these words. Enough that Christianity belongs to countries as well as individuals; and that the Church acts mightily upon every land to make it delightsome. It is more pertinent to observe that the promise follows a description of the efficacy of prayer, and includes the full blessing which God can pour out upon any people. What then are some of the heavenly and spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus necessary to make this land of ours delightsome in the eyes of the Lord of hosts?

I. A LAND IS DELIGHTSOME THAT IS PURELY AND ADEQUATELY SUPPLIED WITH CHRIST'S GOSPEL. It is a delightsome land to the tourist, if the scenery be fine and the air pure; to the economist, if trade and commerce flourish, and social arrangements tend to the accumulation of capital; to the worldly philanthropist, where employment is good, pauperism low, laws reasonably fair and equal, and the refinements of civilisation widely spread over the surface of the people. To the disciple of Jesus Christ a different standard everywhere presents itself. The spiritual aspect of every community first engrosses his attention and sympathies. To him the radical want is the Gospel — the Gospel with its humbling discoveries of man's fallen and lost estate by nature, and with its blessed proclamation of recovery by Christ. Without this there is no pardon for the people's sins, no comfort for their sorrows, no return to the image of God, or meetness for death, judgment, and eternity. A delightsome land we shall not be till the famine of the Word of God has everywhere come to an end — till not only in city and town and hamlet, all that have ears to hear may hear, but may rest assured of hearing the same glad tidings of great joy.

II. THAT RIGHTLY PRIZES CHRIST'S ORDINANCES. While it is certainly true that in proportion to the multiplication of Gospel agencies spiritual blessing follows as a general rule, it by no means follows to the degree that ought to-have been witnessed. There is sad neglect of the great salvation, neglect which only the Spirit of God can overcome — neglect which expresses and registers itself b-y man's treatment of the ordinances of salvation. Who Can follow the outwardly devout to their dwellings, and record what proportion refuse to honour God there? Who can pursue them to their closets, and see how many or how few walk with God and live in the presence of Christ?

III. THAT MULTIPLIES EXAMPLES OF CHRIST'S CONVERTING GRACE. Take away conversion and you take away Christianity. The two watchwords of evangelical religion are — the atonement and the new birth. With regard to the mode of conversion, it is confessedly various. The time may come, which some anticipate, when conversion shall be generally noiseless and gradual, effected in the early dawn of life, as the result of pious training, when the Spirit of God shall copiously descend as morning dew, and leave a blessing for all the coming day. But to some conversion must come as a wave of the sea, with a shock and an agitation. There must be a struggle between the old and the new — between self and Christ. The soul in such a conflict may be expected to be shaken to its centre, with fear, and shame, and sadness, ere faith come to its relief, and love toward the Crucified One gain the victory. The conversions which are going on within the circle of Christian influence make up the true history of the world. They are the events which are noted in the register of God, where the ordinary incidents of human history have no place. It is not the first birth of any man that glorifies God or satisfies Christ. Without the second it is an abortion and a catastrophe.

IV. THAT MAINTAINS A HIGH AND GENERAL STANDARD OF CONFORMITY TO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST. Conversion is nothing save as a step to sanctification. And sanctification is resemblance to Christ. The ultimate design of Christ's mission was to multiply Himself; to stamp Himself upon the minds, the hearts, and the lives of men! Such a conformity is indeed defective in every case: still, under the training of the Spirit, forms of moral loveliness have appeared, and are appearing, which differ radically from those which the world saw before Christ, or which it is capable of producing where His name is disowned. Would it not be a result of incalculable blessedness, were the higher standard of Christian life found in some to be more widely diffused, still more were a marked and decisive impress of Christian piety to become universal, or to approach to universality? The transformation of the professing Church into a visibly living body would certainly act on the world as life from the dead. Regenerate character to God's noblest work.

V. THAT ASSISTS IN BRINGING OTHER LANDS TO CHRIST. This was one attraction of ancient Israel to God. He saw in it the focus of blessing; the central point whence the light of His glory was everywhere to spread till the whole dark orb was illuminated. Such is Christian light that like that of the sun, it cannot be seen but by its own diffused and propagated rays. How can Africa, India, China, the South Seas ever call us blessed, unless we teach them our blessedness, and make them share it?

(John Cairns, D. D.)

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KJV: And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

WEB: "All nations shall call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," says Yahweh of Armies.