the holy tongue-in which to communicate with one another. All these things must, I should think, suggest themselves to every intelligent traveller as he passes through other lands. But what says the Word of God?

Zechariah viii. 13.-" It shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing." To this day they are a curse among the nations, by their unbelief-by their covetousness; but the time is coming when they shall be as great a blessing as they have been

a curse.

Micah v. 7.-" And the remnant of Jacob 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." Just as we have found, among the parched hills of Judah, that the evening dew, coming silently down, gave life to every plant, making the grass to spring, and the flowers to put forth their sweetest fragrance, so shall converted Israel be when they come as dew upon a dead dry world. Zech. viii. 23. "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 you; for we have heard that God is with you." This never has been fulfilled; but as the Word of God is true, this is true. Perhaps some one may say, If the Jews are to be the great missionaries of the world, let us send missions to them only. We have got a new light-let us call back our missionaries from India. They are wasting their precious lives there in doing what the Jews are to accomplish. I grieve to think that any lover of Israel should so far pervert the truth, as to argue in this way. The Bible does not say that we are to preach only to the Jew, but to the Jew first. "Go and preach the gospel to all nations," said the Saviour. Let us obey his Word like little children. The Lord speed our beloved missionaries in that burning clime. The Lord give them good success, and never let one withering doubt cross their pure minds as to their glorious field of labour. All that we plead for is, that, in sending out missionaries to the heathen, we may not forget to begin at Jerusalem. If Paul be sent to the Gentiles, let Peter be sent to the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad; and let not a byecorner in your hearts be given to this cause-let it not be an appendix to the other doings of our Church, but rather let there be written on the fore front of your hearts, and on the

banner of our beloved Church, "To the Jew first," and "Beginning at Jerusalem.”

Lastly, Because there is a great reward. Blessed is he that blesseth thee; cursed is he that curseth thee. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love her. We have felt this in our own souls. In going from country to country, we felt that there was one before us preparing our way. Though we have had perils in the waters and perils in the wilderness, perils from sickness and perils from the heathen, still from all the Lord has delivered us; and if it shall please God to restore our revered companions in this mission in peace and safety to their anxious families,* we shall then have good reason to say, that in keeping his commandment there is great reward.

But your souls shall be enriched also, and our Church, too, if this cause find its right place in your affections. It was well said by one who has a deep place in your affections, and who is now on his way to India, that our Church must not only be evangelical, but evangelistic also, if she would expect the blessing of God. She must not only have the light, but dispense it also, if she is to be continued as a steward of God. May I not take the liberty of adding to this striking declaration, that we must not only be evangelistic, but evangelistic as God would have us to be-not only dispense the light on every hand, but dispense it first to the Jew.

Then shall God revive his work in the midst of the years Our whole land shall be refreshed as Kilsyth has been. The cobwebs of controversy shall be swept out of our sanctuaries -the jarrings and jealousies of our Church be turned into the harmony of praise-and our own souls become like a well-watered garden.

SERMON XXVI.

BLESSED ARE THE DEAD."+

"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."-REV. xiv. 13.

There are two remarkable things in the manner in which these words are given to us.

I. They are the words of the Father echoed back by the

Drs Black and Keith were at this time still detained by sickness abroad. + Preached in the summer of 1840.

Spirit. "I heard a voice from heaven." "Yea, saith the Spirit." John's eye had been riveted upon the wondrous sight mentioned in verse 1. A Lamb stood on Mount Zion, and one hundred and forty-four thousand redeemed ones following him whithersoever he goeth, when suddenly a still small voice broke upon his ear, saying, "Write, Blessed are the dead ;" and then the Holy Spirit breathed, Ainen—“ Yea, saith the Spirit."

It is written in the law that the testimony of two witnesses is true. Now here are two witnesses-the Father of all and the Holy Spirit the Comforter, both testifying, that it is a happy thing to die in the Lord. Is there any of you, God's children, who tremble at the thought of dying? Does death appear a monster with a dreadful dart, ready to destroy you? Here are two sweet and blessed witnesses who declare that death has lost his sting-that the grave has lost its victory. Listen, and the frown will disappear from the brow of deaththe valley will be filled with light-the Father and the Holy Spirit both unite in saying, "Blessed are the dead."

II. "Write."-Whatever is written down is more durable, and less liable to be corrupted, than that which is only spoken from mouth to mouth. For this reason God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments, written with his own finger on two tables of stone. For the same reason he commanded them, on the day they passed over Jordan, to set up great stones, and plaster them with plaster, and write upon them all the words of that law. For the same reason, God commanded his servants, the prophets, to write their prophecies, and the apostles to write their gospels and epistles, so that we have a permanent Bible instead of floating tradition. For this reason did Job wish his words to be written. "O that my words were written! O that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and with lead in the rock for ever! I know that my Redeemer liveth." Job xix. 25. It was one of his precious, ever memorable sayings-a saying to comfort the heart of a drooping believer in the darkest hour-" I know that my Redeemer liveth." For the same reason did the voice from heaven say, "write"-do not hear it only, but write it-print it in a book-grave it with an iron pen-with lead in the rock for ever.

"Blessed are the dead." Learn the value of this saying. It is a golden saying-there is gold in every syllable of it. It is sweeter than honey and the honeycomb; more precious

than gold, yea much fine gold. It is precious in the eyes of God. Write it deep in your hearts; it will solemnize your life, and will keep you from being led away by its vain show. It will make the syren songs of this world inconvenient and out of tune; it will sweetly soothe you in the hour of adversity; it will rob death of its sting and the grave of its victory. Write, write deep on your heart,

"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord."

Now, consider the words themselves.

1. "Blessed are the dead."-The world say, Blessed are the living; but God says, Blessed are the dead. The world judge of things by sense-as they outwardly appear to men; God judges of things by what they really are in themselves— he looks at things in their real colour and magnitude. The world says, "Better is a living dog than a dead lion." The world look upon some of their families, coming out like a fresh blooming flower in the morning-their cheeks covered with the bloom of health-their step bounding with the elasticity of youth-riches and luxuries at their command-long, bright summer days before them. The world says, “There is a happy soul." God takes us into the darkened room where some child of God lately dwelt. He points to the pale face where death sits enthroned-the cheek wasted by long disease -the eye glazed in death-the stiff hands clasped over the bosom-the friends standing weeping around-and he whispers in our ears, "Blessed are the dead." Ah, dear friends, think a moment!—whether does God or you know best? Who will be found to be in the right at last? Alas, what a vain show you are walking in! Disquieted in vain. "Man that is in honour and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish." Even God's children sometimes say, "Blessed are the living." It is a happy thing to live in the favour of God-to have peace with God-to frequent the throne of grace-to burn the perpetual incense of praise-to meditate on his word-to hear the preached gospel-to serve God; even to wrestle, and run, and fight in his service is sweet. Still God says, "Blessed are the dead." If it be happy to have his smile here, how much happier to have it without a cloud yonder! If it be sweet to be the growing corn of the Lord here, how much better to be gathered into his barn! If it be sweet to have an anchor within the vail, how much better ourselves to be there, where no gloom can come ! "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore." "Blessed are the dead."

-God attests it.

Even Jesus felt this

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1. Not all the dead, but those that "die in the Lord." It is truly amazing the multitudes that die. "Thou carriest them away as with a flood." Seventy thousand die every day, about fifty every minute, nearly one every second, passing over the verge. Life is like a stream made up of human beings, pouring on, and rushing over the brink into eternity. Are all these blessed? Ah, no. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." Of all that vast multitude continually pouring into the eternal world, a little company alone have savingly believed on Jesus. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." It is not all the dead who are blessed. There is no blessing on the Christless dead; they rush into an undone eternity, unpardoned, unholy. You may put their body in a splendid coffin; you may print their name in silver on the lid ; you may bring the well-attired company of mourners to the funeral in suits of solemn black; you may lay the coffin slowly in the grave; you may spread the greenest sod above it; you may train the sweetest flowers to grow over it; you may cut a white stone, and grave a gentle epitaph to their memory;-still it is but the funeral of a damned soul. You cannot write blessed where God hath written "cursed.” "He that believeth shall be

saved; he that believeth not shall be damned."

Consider what is implied in the words, "in the Lord." 1. That they were joined to the Lord.-Union to the Lord has a beginning. Every one that is blessed in dying has been converted. You may dislike the Word, but that is the truth. They were awakened-began to weep-pray-weep as they went to seek the Lord their God. They saw themselves lost, undone, helpless-that they could not be just with a holy God. They became babes. The Lord Jesus drew near, and revealed himself. "I am the bread of Life." 'Him that cometh unto me I will in nowise cast out." They believed and were happy-rejoiced in the Lord Jesus-counted everything but loss for Christ. They gave themselves to the Lord. This was the beginning of their being in Christ.

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Dear friends, have you had this beginning? Have you undergone conversion-the new birth-grafting into Christ? Call it by any name you will, have you the thing? Has this union to Christ taken place in your history? Some say, I do not know. If at any time of your life you had been saved from drowning-if you were actually drowned and brought to life again—you would remember it to your dying hour. Much more if you had been brought to Christ. If you had been