you are indebted for the living oracles of God, and for all the joys and all the hopes inspired by the knowledge of "the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent." There is not one in the entire catalogue of the blessings that belong to you, as members of the "fellowship of God's dear Son," (who himself also was "made of the seed of David according to the flesh,") which may not be traced to the same source. They were Jews who evangelized the Gentile world of old, by the zealous, and disinterested, and persevering efforts of Gospel love. And you are now enjoying the blessed fruits of these efforts. And how has the debt been paid? With a few exceptions, the only answer, alas! that truth can give to the question, is, by insults, and proscriptions, and cruelties; by curses, and bonds, and blood:-by a treatment, in which Mahometans and Pagans have joined with professing Christians, and which has itself eminently contributed to produce, and deepen, and maintain, the very degradation and want of principle which are universally assigned as its cause. O feel for that people, to whom, though thus so long treated as outcasts from the family of man, the world, and yourselves, are under such obligations. There is more to be paid them now than a debt of gratitude; there is a reparation of injury. And you cannot more effectually cancel the claims which, in both respects, they have upon you, than by giving them back the very blessings which they have been the instruments of bestowing.

3dly. Present appearances are encouraging.

It is given as one of the signs when the time to favour Zion is come, that "her saints take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof." There is an interest now excited, and rapidly on the increase, and producing practical efforts, in behalf of the long-neglected subjects of our present pleading. The attention of Christians, and even of mankind at large, is drawn powerfully towards them. The persecu

tions, on the one hand, which in some quarters they have been suffering; the regard, on the other hand, shown them by some of the crowned potentates of Europe, and the Christian exertions made on their behalf in this country;

are all contributing to this effect. And there are, besides, pleasing and promising symptoms appearing amongst themselves. A spirit of thoughtfulness, investigation, and inquisitiveness, has gone forth to a considerable extent amongst them. There is an obvious diminution of the virulence of prejudice, and animosity, and scornful aversion. They receive, in many instances, the Christian tracts; and, above all, the Christian Scriptures, translated for their use into their own ancient and revered tongue. They read, they converse, they discuss; they hold meetings for conference with Christian ministers; and, as of old, they have "great reasonings among themselves." Multitudes are said to be under powerful convictions of the truth of Christianity, and apparently on the very eve of publicly avowing these convictions, and embracing Jesus as the Christ. These are all tokens for good.

on our minds.

Let them have their full animating effect Let Christians be of one heart, and one soul, in this great and good cause; and "Jehovah will arise, and build up Zion."

4thly. Let all remember, that salvation is in every instance the fruit of free and sovereign mercy.

The former awfully disobedient, and alienated, and hardened state of the Gentiles, made it manifest, that their salvation was of mercy,-free mercy;-the fulfilment of a sovereign purpose of mercy. The present no less hardened state of the Jews will, in like manner, make it manifest, that their salvation also is of the same mercy;—of mercy equally free, and rich, and sovereign. The salvation, indeed, of every sinner, without a single exception, Jew or Gentile, must be "to the praise of the glory of God's grace." I dare not, as I value the approbation of my Master, and the safety of my own soul, flatter any one of my hearers with the possibility of obtaining salvation in any other way, than as the free "gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord:" "in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."

Finally:-Let us mark and imitate the example of the Apostle, in minding present duty while anticipating future

prospects. Even we may never see the blessed scenes predicted in this chapter and the concurrent prophecies of the Word of God:-but like Paul we have a present duty to perform, altogether independent of prophetic "times and seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power." It belongs to us, not only to use means for hastening on the glory of the latter days, but to seek with all earnestness the salvation of our own contemporaries, at home and abroad, who are hourly dying and perishing. Our success may be small; even as nothing, compared with the distant scenes which the visions of prophecy unfold. But let us not so dazzle our eyes by gazing on the bright effulgence of the glory to come, as to make them dim to the vision of objects that are near at hand and have an immediate demand on our notice. We are never sure by what particular means it may please God to bring about his purposes; and how far present exertion may be a commencement to the great events that are in prophecy. We may be beginning the scaffolding for the future temple. But at all events, let us never lose sight of the inestimable preciousness of a single soul. He who has been the instrument of saving even one soul has not lived in vain :-he has effected more than if he had been the deliverer of an empire from temporal calamity-although history should never know his name in the one case, while it would have been blazoned to future generations in the other. In bringing one sinner to Christ, you not only secure an eternity of happiness to the individual,-you at the same time fix a new centre of pious influence from which the power of the truth may diffuse itself around;—and this may be the occasion of provoking others also to jealousy. Abundant matter-of-fact evidence, I am aware, shows that the tendency of the truth and of the display of its holy influence is to stir up the enmity of the natural mind. Yet it is at the same time one of the means by which the Spirit operates in producing conviction, and even exciting to emulation. Its holy influence may be the means of producing the former, and its happy influence the latter. When it appears, according to its true nature and tendency, producing peace and

joy, removing anxious fears, calming the turbulent passions, bestowing comfort in trouble, and hope and confidence in death;—such a manifestation of its character may excite some to emulation: it may lead to think-to desire that which produces effects so precious-to feel the vanity of the world to seek Christ, the favour of God, and the hope of glory, as the only substantial and durable blessings.*

* The views presented in this and the preceding Lecture were given to the world very many years ago, in a Sermon preached in behalf of "The Society for the Promotion of Christianity among the Jews," and afterwards published.

LECTURE LII.*

ROMANS XI. 33-36.

"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.”

THE works and ways of God are not revealed to us as subjects of mere barren speculation. It is our duty, and ought to be our delight, to see God in them all. The contemplation of them is designed to increase our acquaintance with His character, and to animate our feelings of admiring and thankful devotion. Thus it was with Paul. Having expatiated on the mystery of the divine procedure in the dispensation of His grace to mankind;—and more especially, on that alternation of righteous judgment and abounding mercy, apparent in His conduct toward the Jews and the Gentiles; the unbelief and rebellion of the former, while it brought vengeance and rejection upon themselves becoming the occasion of favour and blessing to the latter;-and then the mercy shown to the latter, being, in its turn, the means of 'restoring the joy of God's salvation" to the former;-God thus making each, reciprocally, the source of benefit and blessing to the other," concluding all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all,"-"mercy rejoicing against judg

*This Lecture was, it appears, delivered in its present form "at the Ordination of Mr. Weiss, Jewish Missionary." It seemed best to insert it without alteration.-ED.