Lord, before whose armies kings were discomfited and fled-for whom the place of the deep became dry land, the stony rock gushed out water, and the great sun himself was stayed, and hasted not to go down-this dark and fearful race, the seed of the honoured patriarchs!-the descendants of saints and martyrs !—the remnant of the Israel of God! Whence this singular scepticism? How comes it that the Christian warrior, armed at all points for conquest, whose head the helmet of salvation covers in the day of battle--whose side is girt with the sword of the Spirit-whom the shield of faith protects-and who has on the breastplate of righteousness,---how comes it, that he, planted against this antagonist, fights only as one that is beating the air? Is it that we are hastening to repair an error, the progress of each suc. cessive century has rendered more and more difficult to surmount? is it that now first salvation is preached to the Jew? One glance at the records of history will lead us to a conviction widely different. The shepherd who came to redeem his sheep which were lost, was himself a Jew born; in Judea he exercised his ministry of Judea were the earliest of his followers-Judea witnessed his death, with all the ignominy that ineffectually attempted to cloud it. Nor was this all: each one of the missionaries of the faith that was in Jesus, earnestness of conviction working amid the feelings of the patriot, affectionately endeavoured to conciliate his countrymen: "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." These are the warm and heartfelt sentiments of one who was not the least in all that holy band-this thing was the desire of his heart, when he went apart from men, and bowed himself down to the earth before his Maker, and uttered the secrets of his bosom; the first words that passed from his lips breathed entreaties for the redemption of his country: and was the desire of such a heart wholly unsatisfied? did the prayers which came from lips so pure and innocent fail entirely of their hope? No, "they had a zeal of God," though "not according to knowledge;" a mis-directed certainly, but sincere love for God, unalloyed by any baser principle, formed the motive and ground-work of their actions; honest themselves---(Ispeak not of the conduct of individuals, I speak of the nation at large)---honest themselves, it was permitted to others, who were honest like them, guided by the influences of the Holy Spirit, to lead many onward to the paths of life; the converted sought the unconverted Jew -he took him kindly by the hand-he looked upon him with an eye of tenderness and affection-he spoke in a gentle and soothing tone-he reminded him of their common ancestors he dwelt on their common hopes-he alluded to their accredited traditions-he touched on the branch of Jesse-he repeated word for word the most popular predictions of wise men of old, and showed in the person and life of Jesus of Nazareth, the exact accomplishment of each-he entreated him with tears to depart from his unbelief-he conjured him, by every principle that hath power to affect the heart, to repent of his sins, and sue for pardon at the throne of grace-he humbled himself in the dust before him -he left him not till he won him. Such were the implements of conversion then, what have they been since? Whenever Christianity has led the way, has a spirit of unchanging mildness followed in her train? Have they that have gone forth to spread the name of Christ, in obedience to the commandments of their Master, been careful to consult for the previously conceived opinions of those to whom they have addressed themselves? Has the fallen people of Israel been viewed with a species of veneration and pity? Has their remarkable, though groundless and abortive fidelity to the laws of their country, received from men of like passions with themselves, the respect and admiration it merited? wherever they have bent their wearied steps, have the shores of believing lands gladly welcomed and protected them? And while the tremendous curse imprecated on their heads, and on that of their descendants, by those who condemned the holy and just one to die, "His blood be on us, and on our children;" while this tremendous curse (I say) is present to the minds of a faithful people, attended by its awful accomplishment, does a secret prayer go up from the depths of the heart, to him, who, in the trials of |