they shall yet return to their own land operating as a motive for withdrawing from others,—the peculiarities of their religious rites and institutions, all these things may tend to this distinction, but all taken together cannot account alike for its maintenance and for their preservation, the principle of which alone is to be sought and found in prophecy, and in the Divine power guarding the Divine purpose, as well in the descendants of Israel as in the only case approaching to a parallel-those of Ishmael. In all other cases, all attempts to preserve a distinction between the different tribes and families of which a great nation is composed, have been so feeble, that they may be said to have altogether failed. And as to entire empires, whose basis seemed to be laid as the foundations of the everlasting hills, and whose stability, like the rock and the mountain, promised to rival the eternal features of nature, if they remain at all, their substance has melted away until they have become but the shadow of themselves; and for the most part, those which were the most conspicuous, and were deemed the most glorious, have vanished as a dream, and left no trace behind them; while the poor and despised Jews, although the ploughshare has passed over the site of their loved metropolis, remain preserved through succeeding ages, and distinguished in the midst of all their

B

degradation. The aspect of prophecy upon their present state is borne out by the most indisputable facts, that they are reserved for a future restoration. This introduces another proposition-

THIRDLY, That they shall receive the Messiah in the spirituality of his kingdom.

This is the first aspect of prophecy respecting the future state of the Jews: "For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.” So careful a preservation cannot be for an end and purpose less glorious than their conversion to him" of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth." That this is their high and certain destination would seem to admit of no dispute, on the part of those, who in common pay homage to the authority of the word of God. For there will be found no predictions relative to the glory of the latter day, in which the Jews are not included, nay, in which they do not bear a distinguished part. The "light to lighten the Gentiles," will be also "the glory of his people Israel." The argument of the Apostle, as to their present, in reference to their future state, is most conclusive, and absolutely irresistible. "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this

mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief; Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." --Rom. xi. 25-36.

I have quoted this convincing passage so much at length, because it fully explains the revealed

purpose of God as to his ancient and scattered people; because it is an epitome of ample predictions; because it is connected with lessons of holy caution to us; because it suggests our duty towards this wonderful people; and because in unfolding the riches of divine grace, it recognizes and adores the mystery of the divine purposes, and teaches us to reverence "the secret things which belong to the Lord our God." There is, then, a day coming, when they shall find a "fountain opened to the house of Israel and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness;" a day, when "they shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and shall mourn for him as a man mourneth for his only son, and be in bitterness for him, as he is in bitterness for his first-born; a day, when they " shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." These tears of penitence, these views of faith, clearly designate the spirituality of that kingdom which consists not in "meats and drinks, but in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost," which, whatever be its progress in the world, and its influence upon society, to produce both moral, and, in consequence, physical changes, has its seat in the heart, and is distinguished in its empire over the mind, by an emancipation from the bondage of corruption, and an establishment

of the glorious liberty of the children of God. In the fervour of prophetic description, all nature has been laid under contribution to symbolize the glory of this spiritual empire-and has been invested with attributes, not its own, to swell the description. The extinction of animal animosity, and the harmlessness of the most noxious and formidable animals, well shadow forth the subjugation of ferocious passions, and the return of an age of patriarchal innocence, before man forgot to walk with God. When we read of the arid desert surprised with fountains of waterthe wilderness spontaneously springing up a paradise the earth pouring forth her redundant and inexhaustible stores, until the reaper presses hard upon the sower, we cannot doubt that we are promised an inconceivable profusion of spiritual benefits, which, in their plenitude, will doubtless overflow upon the face of nature itself; and by its moral agency superinduce the most happy and desirable physical results. When we read that the sun, brightened into sevenfold splendour, shall no more go down-that the moon shall no more withdraw her shiningthat a city shall have her foundations laid with precious stones-her walls, salvation-and her gates, praise-her inhabitants released from sickness and night withdrawing her shadowswe receive in the most beautiful and perfect