down from heaven and say, discharge this debt to our descendents who are scattered among you, the poor Jews, who, as the prophet foretold, have "abode many days, without a king, and without "a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an "ephod, and without teraphim."1 Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Moses, David, Isaiah and all the prophets, Peter and all the apostles, the Christians of Pentecost, when "great grace was on them all,” the noble army of primitive martyrs, call upon us, from heaven, yea, my brethren, call loudly on us, demanding the payment of the mighty debt, which we owe them, to their destitute benighted offspring. They say, 'To us, under God, you are indebted for your Bibles, your Christian ordinances and sabbaths, your ministers, your knowledge of " the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath "sent ;" and your hope of eternal glory: while, in the mystery of providence, our posterity, who live dispersed among you, are, "by the veil upon "their hearts," strangers to your blessings; yea, being "without Christ," are in reality, though they know it not, in the very state from which, by our means, you have been rescued-" without hope, " and without God in the world." And will you neglect our children, you, who owe your salvation to us, their fathers? Will you shrink from labour, self-denial, or expense, in seeking the conversion of the sons and daughters of those who spent their lives, and shed their blood, to effect the conversion of your ancestors?' And,' adds the Saviour himself,' will you, for whom I came into the world,

1 Hos. iii. 4, 5.

and died a sacrifice for sin, and whom, in my highest exaltation, I am not ashamed to call my brethren; have no pity on my brethren according to the flesh? Remember when you think of the Jews, that I also am a Jew.'-When our dying Lord, from the cross, looked on the beloved John, and said to his weeping mother, "Woman, behold thy son;" and to John, "Behold thy mother;" this was enough" From that hour he took her to his " own home."

Surely, if we were called on to encounter all the hardships and dangers of the most formidable mission, among barbarous savages, and in an unhealthy inhospitable climate, and to venture, or even lay down, our lives, in such a cause; the call of patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, and the least intimation from the Saviour himself, should make us disregard every obstacle, and say, "None of these things move me;" "Here am I, send me."

We do not, however, come to you, at present, with such large demands; the circumstances of the case, do not require them; the mission, (if I may so call it,) purposed by this society, is not to unbelievers, amidst the snows and ice of Greenland, or the heats and drenching rains of Africa, or to any foreign land; but to unbelievers who live among us, in our cities and towns, mingle with us in commercial dealings, and understand our language. Exertion in your native country, consistent with your own comfort, nay conducive to it; contribution, "according as God hath prospered you;" unanimity in making efforts yourselves, and in aiding the efforts of others; with the convincing light of a holy example, and fervent persevering

prayers for our success; is the only payment of the mighty debt which is at present required from "Had the Lord said, Do some great thing,"

you. would you not have done it? Will you then refuse such moderate demands? Will you not exert yourselves to make the payment, as it were, by instalments? You know, what the character is, in the commercial world, of him who evades the payment of the debts which he undeniably owes. God forbid that this should be our character, in this more important concern.

But the objections, which I am aware are already arising in some minds, must be obviated by my proceeding to shew,

-III. That a still more signal fulfilment of the prophecy in my text will most certainly take place; and at no very remote period.

It would take me much too far, should I enter at large on the prophecies, from Moses to the latest writers of the Old Testament, which, as with one voice, declare that, in the final event, the nation of Israel shall be restored from their dispersions, placed under the government of their promised Messiah, and (as far as I can judge,) reinstated in their own land. I shall only adduce a few testimonies on this part of the subject. Hear the words of God by Moses:-"It shall come to pass, when "all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse which I have set before thee, " and thou shalt call them to mind, among all the "nations whither the Lord thy God hath driven "thee, and shalt return unto the Lord thy God"then the Lord thy God will return, and gather "thee from all the nations whither the Lord thy

"God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven "out unto the utmost parts of heaven, from "thence will the Lord thy God gather thee:-and "the Lord will circumcise thine heart, and the "heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with "all thine heart."1

Isaiah, after a clear prophecy of Christ, and of the conversion of the gentiles, as foreseeing the subsequent dispersion of the Jews, speaks thus: "The Lord shall set his hand the second time to "recover the remnant of his people; he shall "assemble the outcasts of Israel, and shall gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four 66 corners of the earth."2

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Ezekiel, at the close of his prophecy concerning Gog and Magog, and just before his vision of the temple, both of which are generally, if not universally, supposed to relate to future times, and to be yet unaccomplished, has these words: "Thus "saith the Lord God, Now will I bring again the

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captivity of Jacob, and will have mercy on the "whole house of Israel. 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 into 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 Spirit upon the house of "Israel, saith the Lord God."3 For at that time, in the language of Daniel, "the indignation will "be accomplished."4

1 Deut. xxx. 1-6.

3 Ezek. xxxix. 25-29.

2 Isa. xi. 10-13.

Dan. xi. 36.

The prediction of Hosea is equally clear and decisive: "The children of Israel shall abide many

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days, without a king, and without a prince, and "without a sacrifice, and without an image, and ، without an ephod, and without teraphim. After"ward shall the children of Israel return and seek "the Lord their God, and David their king; and "shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter "days." This returning to the Lord is to take place subsequently to their long-continued degraded state, and “ in the latter days.”“The "sceptre was not to depart from Judah, till Shiloh came."2 "2 The Jews could not, therefore, continue many days in the state described by the prophet, "without a king or prince," till the Messiah was come indeed, they never were completely reduced to this condition for any length of time, at least, till Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, about forty years after our Saviour's crucifixion since that event above seventeen hundred years have elapsed, during which the words of Hosea exactly describe their state: and from this state, he as expressly predicts that they shall be recovered in the latter days.

Zechariah lived after the Babylonish captivity, and all his prophecies must relate to subsequent times but he most expressly foretels both the dispersion of his people, and their restoration from that dispersion :3 and the Lord says by him: I will pour out upon the house of David, and upon the ، inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of

grace and "of supplications; and they shall look on me

2

1 Hos. iii. 4,

Gen. xlix. 10.

3

Zech. xi. 6-12.