"whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn "for him, as one mourneth for his only son."1 These words, as they stand connected in the prophecy, are certainly a prediction of the conversion of Israel to the Divine Redeemer, which will ere long be accomplished.

It would be easy, did time permit, to multiply quotations to the same effect: but the conversion and restoration of the Jews, at some future period, is at present generally allowed by those who pay any serious regard to the writings of the prophets.

Indeed the most extraordinary preservation of this nation as a separate people, during so many ages, and dispersed through so many countries, an event wholly without precedent in the history of the world, must be considered by all reflecting persons, as the effect of a peculiar interposition of providence, reserving them thus distinct for some special important purpose. In contemplating the history of the Jews, the words of Moses sometimes occur to my thoughts, "He looked, and behold the bush burned "with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And "Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned."2 The preservation of Israel, as a " people dwelling alone " and not reckoned among the nations," to this present day, all circumstances considered, is as evident a demonstration of a continual divine interposition thus to preserve them, as the bush burning, but not consumed, was a proof that God wrought a miracle on that occasion.

66

But, admitting the future conversion of the Jews, how does it follow that the prophecy of our text will hereafter have a more extraordinary accomplishment, than that which has already been considered ? -I must here, my brethren, acknowledge that the prophecies which relate to this subject, being yet unfulfilled, do not admit of so clear an elucidation as those do which have received their completion. Yet, I have little hesitation in saying, "Thus it is "written, and thus it must be." If the dispersed Jews shall certainly be brought into the church of Christ; the intimations of scripture, and their present situation, when duly considered in connexion with that event, will sufficiently prove the point in question.

The apostle Paul has spoken more explicitly on this subject than any other of the sacred writers. It is well known that the rejection of the gospel by the Jews, in the primitive times, opened the way for the conversion of the gentiles to Christianity. Alluding to this, he says, "through their fall, sal"vation is come unto the gentiles.-Now, if the "fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the gentiles, "how much more their fulness ?"-" If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, "what shall the receiving of them be, but life from "the dead ?" This single testimony, (if indeed "the sure testimony of God,") is fully adequate to prove what has been asserted. The persecutions, raised by the Jews against the Christians, drove them among the gentiles. Every where the apos

Rom. xi. 11. 15

tles and primitive evangelists first proposed the gospel to the Jews; and, when these put it from them, they said, "Lo, we turn to the gentiles." These things made way for that accomplishment of our text which has been considered: but the apostle assures us, that the restoration of the Jews shall be productive of events immensely more glorious to God, and beneficial to mankind, than even those transactions were. 66 For then shall ❝ the ful"ness of the gentiles come in," and "to Shiloh "shall the gathering of the people be."

The same date is fixed by the prophet Daniel to the accomplishment of " the indignation against "his people," and to the conclusion of the oppressed state of the church. The twelve hundred and sixty years, in different ways predicted by him, and by the apostle John, (in the Revelation) from whatever æra dated, must be near the close: and then both these events shall begin to take place;-for the completion of the whole predicted revolution in the state of the Jews and gentiles, connected with the destruction of Antichristian powers, will require considerable time.1

It is probable that this is the meaning likewise of our Lord's words, " Jerusalem shall be trodden "down of the gentiles, until the times of the gen"tiles be fulfilled."2 Till the times be fulfilled, 'for the conversion of the nations,' when "the "kingdoms of this world shall become the king"doms of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall "reign for ever and ever." 3

It is very reasonable to suppose, that the fulfilment of the prophecies contained in the New Tes

Dan. xii. 11, 12.

2 Luke xxi. 24.

3 Rev. xi. 15.

tament, especially in the Revelation of John, concerning the subversion of the Antichristian powers; that of the Popedom in the west, and that of Mohammed in the east; will be one grand means of awakening the Jews, as a body, to consider the evidences of Christianity being from God, which they had hitherto neglected; and thus of rending away "the veil" which remains on their hearts. But, however that may be," the scriptures cannot "be broken:" the Jews must be converted to Christ; and their conversion will be " as life from the dead" to the nations.

Let us consider the state of the Jews, as dispersed in a large proportion of the countries known in the world. Those residing in each country, inured to its climate, accustomed to the manners of the inhabitants, and, in a considerable degree, acquainted with their languages. In various ways they possess, in body and mind, and external cireumstances, advantages peculiar to themselves; such as all missionaries from distant countries must be destitute of, and some of which they can never obtain. What then do the scattered Jews want, in order to become suitable missionaries, already stationed in their respective places, and peculiary qualified for the service? They want nothing but the knowledge of Christ, faith in him, and love to his name and cause, zeal for his glory, and love to their fellow sinners. Let but the veil, of unbelief and carnal prejudices, be removed from their heart; let them become true Christians, and zealous for the gospel; and then behold your missionaries in France, Spain, Italy, Germany, even in Pagan and Mohammedan countries, and almost in every nation, already in their places, and ready for their work.

Though, as it appears to me, the bulk of the nation will, after a time, be collected into their own land and its environs, where a new sphere of usefulness, and additional demonstrations of the truth of the scripture, and that Jesus is "the Christ, the "Son of the living God," will be brought forward: this by no means proves that, immediately after their conversion, they shall not in general be employed for the conversion of the nations where they reside; or that, afterward, zealous individuals may not remain iu those countries, as our missionaries do in distant lands, but with immensely superior advantages.

Thus" 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 you, for we have heard that God is with you." The fulfilment also of the prophecies, concerning the restoration of the Jews, and the extraordinary interpositions of God in their behalf, and against the opposers of their re-establishment in their own land, which we have reason to expect will be of so public a nature as speedily to be made known throughout the earth; will powerfully tend to call the attention of mankind to the holy scriptures, as the unerring word of God, and so to forward exceedingly the cause of Christianity while their situation in Palestine, in the vicinity of many countries now occupied by Mohammedans and pagans, will be peculiarly favourable to the propagation of the gospel.

It may be said, that these things are, in some degree, conjectural: and it is allowed that, in respect of particulars, we cannot be certain, till the