and of our Saviour Jesus Christ. While admitting the literal and entire fulfilment of the prophetic judgments passed on the Hebrews, we have no right by an arbitrary interpretation to appropriate to the Christian Church of the Gentiles the promises which, according to the letter and spirit of Scriptures, are intended but for the ancient people of God.

The

Of the truth of all this we must become more convinced, when we consider this promise of a national conversion of the Jews and the restoration of the kingdom of Israel, in connection with the promise of the Great King, the Messiah Himself during so many ages before, as well as after His coming in the flesh, the object of the expectation of all who in Israel believed in the Divine authority of prophecy. promise of a king reigning in glory and power over the house of Jacob from age to age had been handed down from century to century, from one man of God to another. Him the Jews expected and fondly hoped for, while misconstruing the purport of the promise, and incapable to understand that it was by a path of sufferings and trials that He was to enter into His glory. The King having come, and their deliverance being

obtained by His sufferings, the promised glory is not the less certain to follow. It is by faith in Him crucified, that the expectation of Him that is to reign in glory becomes warranted and legitimate in the sight of God. Jesus is the King, not only spiritually reigning over hearts and minds-not only in heaven, and over His invisible Church, but also some day upon earth, over His own people and country, and thence over all nations, from sea even to sea, and from the rivers even to the ends of the earth.” The kingdom that the angel Gabriel announced to Mary for the Most High, who should derive His human nature from her (Luke i. 32, 33), is absolutely the same as that which the prophet Isaiah promises to the family of David, and to the house of Jacob. This was the kingdom anciently sung by the psalmist and prophets, looked for by all the faithful in the days of old, sketched and prefigured in the ordering of the tabernacle and the temple, in the institution of priests and king, -a kingdom descending from heaven upon earth, but not less real, visible, and palpable than those four monarchies seen by Daniel in the visions of the night, to which the Jewish monarchy, under Jesus Christ, born and crucified King of the

Jews, comes to put an end. The New Testament, which never annihilates, but always fulfils the promises of the Old, has certainly not changed the nature of this last kingdom.

It is still "the kingdom of our Father, David," (Mark xi. 10). It is with respect to this king. dom that the Apostle of the Gentiles, in his last epistle, and in his last hour, exclaimed once more, "Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead, according to my gospel ;" and when Saint John contemplates, in the heavens which were opened unto him, this King as the Lamb that was slain, he announces him as The Lion of Judah, who hath prevailed." (Rev. v. 5.) And Jesus himself, at the end of this same opened book of prophecy, calls Himself "the root and the offspring of David," and "the bright and morning star." (Rev. xxii. 16). There is, then, a future for Israel!—for the long-disgraced outcasts an approaching glory!—And this future, and this glory, are intimately connected with the happiness and the salvation of all nations; the reign of the Messiah will not be an exclusive one. He will not revenge Himself on the Gentiles as Gentiles, as carnal Israel, denying the cross of Christ,

has imagined.

Neither will He reign over a purely typical Israel. But the wall of separation will be thrown down, and Israel and the regenerate nations will triumph together over the Gentiles who have forgotten God, and who oppose the kingdom of Christ. Israel's King will be King of all nations. The receiving of Israel shall be to all people "life from the dead" (Rom. xi. 15); and thus "the Lord shall be king over all the earth: for in that day there shall be one Lord, and his name one,” (Zech. xiv. 9). And on the very spot where once the deluded Jews shouted "CRUCIFY HIM, CRUCIFY HIM!" and the Gentiles carried out the sentence, there shall on that day arise the joyous exclamation, joined in by both Jews and Gentiles: "CROWN HIM, CROWN HIM, LORD OF ALL!" AMEN! AND AMEN!

Conclusion.

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CONCLUSION.

But what of the immediate future, or the time which may have to elapse (be it short or long), until the great promises I have cited shall be fulfilled? Is there no duty incumbent upon the Christian Church? If it is promised that "all Israel shall be saved," have we not to use all the means in our power to contribute towards the fulfilment of this promise? Thank God, different Churches have, during this century, taken the matter in hand, and very encouraging results have been obtained. In England, for instance, there are now some thousands of Jewish converts in all ranks, and throughout Europe there are about 20,000 Jews to be found at the present day who make a profession of the Christian faith. And may we not expect still greater results, as time more and more obliterates the prejudices of the Jews against Christianity, engendered by the evil deeds of former generations? And, without disparaging other missions, may we not say that the Jewish mission-field is more hopeful than any other? For remember,