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Were there no other prediction in the inspired volume from which the literal restoration of Israel could be proved, this alone ought to be regarded as sufficient to decide the question. In the estimation of faith, it will weigh against a thousand speculations of erring reason about the expediency, and utility, and necessity, of such a thing. Ah! there is surely something greatly wrong, when, ere the declared purposes of God can be believed, Inspiration must be arraigned at Reason's bar, and the wisdom and utility and certainty of Heaven's decrees must be submitted to her decisions!

But clearly and distinctly as Moses thus foretells Israel's restoration, his is no solitary prediction. On the contrary, if there be a single fact to which ALL the prophets have borne testimony-from the time of Moses, and before his day, down to the incarnation of the "Prophet like unto Moses," and beyond His stay on earth, even until after Patmos isle had received his most-loved and longest-surviving apostle-that attested fact is, Israel's future restoration to Palestine. "For thus saith the Lord," by the prophet Jeremiah, "Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations; publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them [to Zion] from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child, and her that travaileth with child together; a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping and with supplications will I lead them." Jer. xxxi. 7-9. That this promise is not to the church, but to the literal Israel, is obvious from its also including other blessings, which relate exclusively to the land of Palestine: "Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things," ver. 5. Besides proving that the only application of such passages is to the house of Israel; it is also necessary, however, that attention be given to the time to which they relate. Those who deny any future restoration, assert of all such predictions, that they were fulfilled in the return of the Jews to Babylon, if it should

be found impossible (even with the aid of a most convenient system of interpretation) to transfer them to the church. That restoration was indeed divinely predicted also, as we have already remarked, but in the present selection of passages, none are inserted except such as are, from their context, evidently future. And such is the case in the prediction above quoted; for when this restoration is enjoyed, "they shall not sorrow any more at all." ver. 12. But, since their return from Babylon, they have had more cause to "sorrow" than they ever had before. They are now more widely scattered, and more cruelly dealt with, than when under the power and within the dominions of Nebuchadnezzar : and the only captivity of Israel since that period, is that from which they are not yet recovered. And is their restoration to be considered less real, because it is future? The Lord will undoubtedly perform this his promise in their favour, and "gather them from the coasts of the earth." Nor can this restoration be confounded with their conversion, which is here predicted as an accompaniment. In coming from the coasts of the earth, "they shall come," saith the Lord, "with weeping; and with supplications will lead them.

ver. 9.

Ezekiel records a similar prophecy: "Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God, I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel." Ezek. xi. 17. To the same period, obviously, does this promise refer. It is the pledge of recovery, not from one land alone, as was that from Babylon, but of their rescue from "the countries" into which they have latterly "been scattered." And those who are so desirous of investing the Gentile church with the various promises given to Israel, will do well to observe how this is secured to them. Addressing the Hebrew prophet, the Lord calls those to be thus gathered, "thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred," whom He had "cast far off among the heathen." ver. 15, 16. Nor is this to be explained as predicting merely their conversion, which the Lord ́im

mediately promises in addition; "I will put a new spirit within you, and will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh." ver. 19. Again, "Thus saith the Lord God," by the same prophet, "Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep and bring them out, as a shepherd seeketh out his flock, in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day; and I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel, by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be; there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed, upon the mountains of Israel." Ezek. xxxiv. 11-14. These sheep, it is added, "are men," and "they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord." ver. 31, 30. That they are the literal Israel is also evident, as they are to be gathered "from the countries and brought to their own land," to the "mountains of Israel," and to "all the inhabited places of the country," ver. 13, 14. This restoration has not yet been enjoyed, for, after it " they shall no more be a prey to the heathen," "neither bear the shame of the heathen any more," "but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid." ver. 28—31.

Once more, by the same prophet, "Thus saith the Lord God, Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name....when I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them, in the sight of many nations; then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them; for I have poured out my

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Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God." Ezek. xxxix. 25-29. This clearly refers to the literal Israel, as it was they who" went into captivity for their iniquity," who were led into captivity among the heathen;" and it is they only who remain yet to be gathered "out of their enemies' lands.... unto their own land." Neither is this the restoration from Babylon, for all Israel did not then return; but, when this promise is fulfilled, there is "left none of them any more there." It is also immediately subsequent to Israel's triumph over Gog, when they shall "spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord." ver. 10. It is, consequently, still future; which is farther obvious from the Lord's gracious assurance, "neither will I hide my face any more from them."

If these predictions do not prove the future restoration of the literal Israel to the land of their fathers, it may certainly be asked, In what language could such a promise be made, that would not be equally liable to be misapplied, perverted, or discredited? We may as well deny the literal conversion as the literal restoration of Israel—most of the passages which assure us of the one, predicting also the other. If it was not a figurative dispersion they suffered, neither will it be a figurative restoration they shall enjoy. And if dispersion was a part of the punishment of their national transgression, so also will restoration be obtained when forgiven of the Lord, and will be connected with their national repentance. And how wonderfully has the Lord preserved the Jews for this display of His sovereignty and grace! Although scattered into every nation of Europe,-nay, attracted into every country under heaven into which commerce has been introduced and possessed, as many of them are, of immense wealth-they have not been allowed to become the proprietors of any soil. They have no inheritance in other lands, and they have always cherished a passionate desire to return to their own. Throughout their long captivity, they have been thus kept unsubjected to the influence of other local attachments, and in a state of constant readiness for

migration; and recent movements among them render it highly probable that the time of their general departure is at hand. By the dispensations of His providence, the Lord is manifestly preparing the way for their return. In the plenitude of their uncontrolled power, earthly potentates may indeed combine, and, with a view to perpetuate their systems of iniquity, may create kingdoms at will, allot to them the territories they shall possess, and appoint the kings by whom they shall be governed,* without asking counsel of the Lord, or regulating their decisions by His "sure decree." In all their calculations, Israel may not be reckoned; in their disposal of territory, no portion may be assigned for their inheritance. But the God of Jacob "has purposed, and who shall disannul it ?" "Zion shall be redeemed with judgments, and her converts with righteousness." "But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come."† ls. i. 27. Ezek. xxxvi. 8.

* Written immediately after the annunciation of the allied Sovereigns of Europe having appointed Prince Leopold to the throne of Greece, and before the prince had tendered his resignation.

+ In the Jewish Expositor for January 1830, (a monthly periodical deserving of more general circulation, being entirely devoted to the best interests of Israel, and containing regularly the correspondence of the Jewish Missionaries,) there is an extract of a letter from Mr. Wolff, dated Cyprus, July 15, containing an account of 100 Jews, from Constantinople, having arrived at Jaffa, while Mr. W. was there, on their way to Jerusalem. It is added, "A friend, on whose judgment and veracity equal confidence may be placed, writing from Constantinople, more recently, says that when he first arrived he heard of a great num ber of ships, hired by the Jews to convey them to Jerusalem. He found they were going in expectation of the near coming of their Messiah. He adds, that thousands of families were preparing to embark from all quarters." This statement was confirmed by another friend, writing from the south of Europe, under date, November 28.

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