call; but go when and where the Lord is pleased to send them: and, unconscious of the ends for which they are sent, they fertilize the ground in God's appointed time, and diffuse life wherever they descend. So are the Jews scattered unwittingly, and unconscious of the ends for which they are sent, over the face of the whole earth, to impart, in due season, all the blessings of life and salvation to a perishing world. And to this effect does the Prophet Isaiah also speak, when of them, in their present scattered state, he says, "THEY shall declare my glory among the Gentiles; and shall bring all their Brethren, as the Children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the House of the Lord." Whether the persons, here called their brethren, be their brethren of the ten tribes, whose place of residence is not known; or of the Gentiles, who may be called brethren by anticipation; I cannot exactly say: but this is plain; "THEY shall declare God's glory among the Gentiles." And speaks not the Apostle Paul also to the same purpose? He says, "If the fall of them (the Jews) 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??" Yes, it is the admission of the Jews into the Christian Church that will be the means of awakening the attention of the whole Gentile world; who, beholding and admiring the grace of God in them, will, with holy zeal, embrace the Gospel of Christ, and fly to him with unanimity, "as a cloud," and with speed, "" as doves to their windows 9."

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Thus I think it appears, both from the Scriptures in general, and from my text in particular, that the Jews must be converted first, before the great body of the Gentiles be gathered in; and that they are ordained of God to be his honoured instruments for the conversion of the whole world.

As for the notion of some Commentators, that Christ is the Jew, on whose skirt the Gentiles shall lay hold, it really is so foreign to the whole context, that it does not deserve a moment's consideration. The Jews themselves are far nearer to the true interpretation than such expositors as these. The Jews adduce this passage, to prove, that, instead of their ever embracing Christianity, the Christian world are to become Jews; since it is said, that the whole world 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 Jews, I say, are so far right in this interpretation, that they are the persons designated in the text: only the passage must be understood of Jews who have embraced their Messiah, and not of Jews who

• Isai. lxvi. 19, 20. with Rom xv. 16. P Rom. xi. 12. 15. Isai. lx. 8. with Zeph. iii. 20. and Jer. xxxiii. 9.

continue to reject him. With this only proviso, the Jews are right: and we Christians should exert ourselves to the utmost, to prepare them for the work they are destined to perform.] LEARN, then, from hence,

1. The great importance of the Jewish cause

[By the Jewish cause, I mean the endeavours which are now making for the conversion of the Jews. It is a lamentable fact, that the Christian world has never yet, since the time of the Apostles, paid to it the attention it deserves. The situation of the Gentile world has not been overlooked; but that of the Jews has been altogether forgotten, except in one or two instances, where partial exertions have been made for their welfare. But why should they be thus excepted, and be the only people upon earth that are to be cut off from the flow of Christian benevolence? Are not their souls of as much value as the souls of others? Is it a small matter that six or eight millions of souls should be daily and hourly going down into perdition; and be left, in all their successive generations, to "perish for lack of knowledge?" But consider them as " beloved of God," as no doubt they still are, notwithstanding all that they are suffering at his hands; consider them, I say, as "beloved of God;" and will you think it right that they should be despised by us?

But come more closely to the point: view them as God's instruments for the conversion of the world; and then say, whether we should not seek to bring them to the knowledge of the truth? Verily, if we have no regard but for the Gentiles, we ought, even for their sakes, to express love to the Jews, and to labour, to the utmost of our power, to fit them for their destined work: yea, the greater our concern for the Gentiles, the more earnest should be our efforts for the Jews. Permit me then, if it be only for the Gentiles' sake, to urge upon you an attention to the Jews; and henceforth to labour for them, as their ancestors in the apostolic age laboured and endured for you The husbandman, when his corn is ripe, looks out for reapers. Do ye the same now. The Gentile field is ripening apace: the Jews are God's appointed reapers. Engage them, then, without delay, that the harvest may be gathered throughout all the earth.]

2. The duty of Christians in all ages

[You have seen the religion which will characterize that blessed period to which we are looking forward. There will be a delight in worshipping and serving God: there will be zealous exertions, too, in all, to stir up one another to a holy emulation in this good work. None will be satisfied with going to heaven alone, or serving God alone. All will be anxious for the good of all: all will be active, too, in honouring

their God, and in promoting the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom. The people of one city will go to another city, to exhort and urge them to an active concurrence in every good work. Methinks the means, which are now used on so contracted a scale that a few only embark in this service of love, will then be adopted on the largest scale; and whole societies, or rather whole cities, shall unite to provoke one another unto love and to good works.

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Yet, let me say, I would not have any to imagine that a zeal either for Jews or Gentiles will stand in the place of personal religion. If we commend to any the blessed word of God, or the embracing of our holy religion, let us take care to lead the way, in the study of the one, and in the practice of the other. Let us never say to any, Come," without adding at the same time, "I WILL GO ALSO." Yea, and let us so lead the way, as the Jew will do at the period before referred to let us so walk before others, that they may see, and be constrained to acknowledge, "that God is with us of a truth." Let us be living "epistles of Christ, known and read of all men;" so that others may "lay hold of our skirt," and wish to " go with us," and have " their portion with us," in the realms of bliss. Let us "be as lights shining in a dark world;" and so make our light to shine before men, that they, seeing our good works, may glorify our Father which is in heaven." This is our duty, no less than it will be of those who shall live in the latter day. Our religion must be neither wholly personal, nor wholly official; but a just combination of both and, whilst we are labouring to the uttermost to "save ourselves," we must use all diligence to save every other person who can by any means be brought within the sphere of our influence."]

MCCLII.

THE ADVENT OF JESUS A GROUND OF JOY.

Zech. ix. 9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation: lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

THERE is scarcely any circumstance relating to the life and death of Christ which was not made a subject of prophecy many hundred years before he came into the world. Even things the most impro bable in themselves were predicted, that by their

accomplishment the truth of his divine mission might be more fully manifest. That the words before us do indeed relate to him, is certain; because the voice of inspiration assures us that they were fulfilled when he entered into Jerusalem riding on the foal of an ass. In discoursing on them we shall consider,

I. The description here given of Jesus

In his office he is the "King of Zion"

[The whole universe is under his dominion, seeing that he is "King of kings, and Lord of lords." But he is in a more eminent manner King of Zion, because all the members of Zion are his subjects willingly and by an unfeigned surrender of themselves to him. They gladly receive his laws; and he constantly affords them his protection. As the Church in the wilderness was under a visible theocracy, so is the Church in all ages, and every individual in the Church, really, though invisibly, under the care and government of Jesus.]

In his character he is the best of princes

He is just-

[His justice appears in every law which he has enacted, and his righteousness in every part of his administration. There are indeed many things in his government, which we are not at present able to account for; but the day of judgment will clear up all the present obscurities, and manifest, that every the minutest occurrence was ordered by him with unerring wisdom, goodness, and truth. It will then be seen that "righteousness was at all times the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins "."]

He is powerful

[Earthly kings may be just, yet not be able to screen their subjects from the injustice of others. But Jesus" has salvation" in his hand for all those who call upon him. Does sin oppress us? he can deliver us both from its guilt and power. Does Satan assault and buffet us? "His grace shall

be sufficient" for the weakest of his people. Does "the fear of death keep us in bondage?" He can make us triumphant both in the prospect of it now, and in a happy resurrection at the last day.]

He is lowly

[Great power and dignity are too often the means of engendering pride in our hearts. The kings of the earth would think it a degradation to converse familiarly with their meanest

subjects; but our Almighty Monarch possesses a lowliness of mind, which makes him accessible to every subject in his dominions. There is not any moment when we may not enter into his presence, nor any complaint which we may not pour into his bosom. His ear is ever open to hear, and his hand ever stretched out to relieve, his needy suppliants. The same lowliness which induced him, at his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, to ride upon a young ass, with no other furniture than the clothes of his poor disciples, when he might as easily have commanded all the pomp and splendour of an earthly monarch, still actuates him in his exalted state. There is no office to which he will not condescend for the benefit of those who wait upon him.]

From this description of Jesus we may well be prepared to hear,

II. The exhortation to rejoice in his advent

The advent of such a prince is a proper ground of Joy for all people

[When first he came in the flesh, the event was announced by angels as glad-tidings of great joy to all people. And all the multitudes who surrounded him at the time referred to in the text, were penetrated with the liveliest joy. And is there not now as much cause for joy as on either of those occasions? Are not the great ends of his advent better understood now than at his incarnation? and the nature of his kingdom more clearly seen than at the time of his triumphant entry into Jerusalem? Surely then our joy should far surpass all that could be experienced at those seasons. How should poor captives now rejoice to hear that there is one proclaiming liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound! If an earthly king were coming not only to redress all the grievances of his people, but to relieve all their wants, and enrich them with all that their hearts could desire, would not all exult and leap for joy? Would not every one be impatient to see him, and to receive his benefits? Why then should not all rejoice in the advent of Him, who is come to bind up the broken-hearted, and to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness?]

But the "daughters of Zion" in particular should rejoice in this event

[The daughters of Zion are the true members of the church, who have been begotten by the Word and Spirit of God. These are addressed by the prophet, and are bidden to exult and "shout" for joy. Well does the prophet select them