it not, but believe steadily-we shall reach at length the topmost height, and like Moses of old, shall look down from another Pisgah, on the promised land of glory that shall be spread beneath our feet, on the new and spiritual Canaan, on that eternal and ever blessed inheritance, which God the righteous Judge shall give us at the last day.

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SERMON IX.

ON CONVERSION OF JEWS.

ROMANS X. 1.

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

WHILE there is scarce a soil over which the fountains of living water have not been poured out; scarcely one spot so barren or remote, that does not acknowledge, in the richness of its blossoms, and in the verdure of its fields, the existence of a new and more perfect cultivation, is it not a matter for deep and serious reflection, that in the heart of this our Christian commonwealth, in the very citadel and fortress of our faith, where baptism is ever being administered for

the remission of sins, where Christ is continually preached, and believers daily added to the church, is it not something whereat the ancient might pause and meditate; that in this very land, amidst scenes hallowed by a thousand images of pure and spotless devotion, there should be traced a people, bearing in their countenances the impress of their high descent, that are knit together in one common bond of union, and hold themselves aloof from all the world beside that still choose to walk in darkness, indifferent to the blaze of light which illumines all around them-that are still deaf to that grave and piercing voice, which, speaking tidings of salva tion to mankind, lends but its responsive tones to the consecrated accents of prophecy?--and this people so stern and obdurate,---is it to be received? comes it within the compass of our belief?---this people, the once chosen nation of the

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 successive 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