doned, and turned from sin, and admitted into the covenant of the gospel. This is extremely important. If, indeed, we had any reason to expect a properly miraculous interference of God, in order to effect a miraculous conversion, the case would be very different. But the description before us is that of the inward grace of the Spirit of God operating on their hearts, as it operates on the hearts of Gentiles in every individual case of true conversion. For what is there properly speaking miraculous, in turning away sinners from ungodliness, in taking away their sins, in receiving them into the evangelical covenant? Is not this what we see continually take place around us? Is not this the effect of the ordinary ministry of the word, accompanied with the ordinary influences of divine grace? And what, then, do we want to bless our efforts with the Jewish unbeliever? What do we require? Any thing essentially different from the power which subdues the Gentile? Any thing miraculous? Extraordinary signs from heaven? Popular or civil changes? An overwhelming torrent of calamity on the one hand, or of temporal elevation on the other? Surely no. We only need this spiritual Deliverer, who by his mighty, but secret and ordinary grace, shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. We only want this covenant of grace and salvation, connected with the taking away of sin, to be renewed with this

people. Then the means of instruction and conversion which we use would be efficacious, the Jewish converts would flock to the standard of the cross, the flame of genuine piety would spread from heart to heart, from family to family, from one remnant of the scattered nation to another, till all Israel should partake of the salvation of God.

I do not mean to dissemble that the case of the Jew is by far worse in itself than the ordinary cases of unbelievers of the Gentiles. I have fully admitted the blindness and obduracy which, by the judgment of God, rest upon them. But still I cannot but consider the manner of their future conversion, which is here described, as leading to the encouraging expectation of that blindness being about to yield to a mighty indeed, but not a miraculous, operation of the Most High. However deep their guilt, and depravity, and blindness, they are still not beyond the limits of that ungodliness from which the Deliverer shall turn them. However far removed from the knowledge or love of their Messiah, they are still not beyond the gracious purposes of that covenant which is at length to rescue and save them.

This last point deserves a single observation. The express mention of a Covenant consisting

8

The reference of the apostle is probably not only to the passage in Isaiah to which we have referred, but to other

of the gratuitous remission of sins, appears calculated greatly to strengthen our faith in the promises of their future restoration. It might have seemed incredible that God should turn away ungodliness from a people so obstinately blinded, a people placed beyond the ordinary boundaries of vice and obduracy. But when God is pleased to speak of a covenant founded on better promises than the old, and entrusted to the hands of a greater and more glorious mediator, all doubt must be removed. We can no longer hesitate for a moment in pressing forward in our efforts of mercy, relying on that grace which is exercised in the pardon and sanctification of every fallen sinner, and which can reach the heart even of the Jew, can turn away his ungodliness, take away his sin, and enrich him with all the blessings of the covenant of salvation.

Whether any miraculous interference, in the proper meaning of that term, may occompany their conversion to Christ, or their return to their own land, if we are right in our expectation of that return, is a question with which I am not now concerned. I trust it appears from the text, that the manner of their conversion itself will be of an ordinary and spiritual nature, and exactly such as to warrant

similar promises of the New Covenant; especially to Jer. xxxi.

and demand our diligent use of all the prescribed means of grace and instruction with them. Let us only be anxious to exhibit to the Jews the evidences of the Gospel of their Deliverer, let us point out to them the covenant of God's mercy, let us endeavour to be the instruments of turning ungodliness from them, and then we may leave with the providence and grace of God the employment, or not, of any extraordinary methods of fully accomplishing his purposes of mercy towards his antient people.

But another important question presents itself in considering the future prospects of the Jews, THE

CONNEXION WHICH THEIR CONVER

SION WILL HAVE WITH THE SALVATION OF THE

GENTILE NATIONS.-Blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved. The full conversion of the Gentiles, then, will be intimately connected with the recovery of the Jews. The general strain indeed of prophecy in the Old Testament leads us not only to look forward to this, but to consider the conversion of the Jews as one great instrument appointed by God for bringing about the universal conversion of the heathen nations. Let any one look into the volume of prophecy, and he will see that the Jews are destined once more to become a blessing to the world. The remnant

of Jacob, says the prophet Micab, shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men'. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with have heard that God is with you'.

you, for we

To this particular view, however, the language of my text may appear to be adverse. The expression of that part of it which we are now considering, seems, in its most obvious sense, to imply, that when the Gentile world shall have first been universally converted, then, and not before, the house of Israel shall be saved. Hence we should be led to infer, that the conversion of the Jews to Christianity cannot be expected to take place, till the fulness of the Gentile converts shall first have completely come in. If this be a right inference, of course the considerate Christian, though he would not relax in his efforts to instruct and inform the Jew, especially when he reflects on the surprising, and in these latter ages unprecedented, spread of religion in the world, yet could not be very sanguine as to the success of those efforts,

9 Micah, v. 8.

Zech. x. 23.