And it is not unreasonable to say, that the prayer of faith was answered in their deliverance from that bondage. But the nation continued in unbelief, which issued in the crucifixion of the Son of God and the dispersion of the people. Lo, they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. What, therefore, shall the Lord of the vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy those husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. They were broken off for unbelief. It was a righteous recompense. But there was a mystery connected with this! Blindness, in part, happened unto Israel. The apostle does not say all the branches, but some of the branches were broken off. The promises were suspended, and they were dispersed as the withered branches of a tree; but the covenant-grace continued to flow in Jewish veins, the root remained vigorous as ever, the first-fruits of the Gospel dispensation were Jews. It was only when the nation had filled up the measure of unbelief, that a scion cut out of an olive-tree, which was wild by nature, was grafted contrary to nature into this olive stock, and partook of its richness and fatness. Second in point of time, second in point of rank, the Gentile Church derived her spiritual existence and communication of privileges from a Jewish source.”—(pp. 245—248.)

Mr. Freemantle then proceeds to show, that as there was a set time for the election of grace for Israel, so is there a set time when the fulness of the election from among the Gentiles will be completed; and thus presses the matter upon our serious attention:

"Who can look at the privileges of Israel, without seeing the heavy responsibility which they involved. But external rites did not necessarily. confer inward grace. All were not Israel who were of Israel. The election hath obtained, and the rest were blinded unto this day.' Circumcision of the flesh was not always accompanied by the circumcision of the spirit, but, contrariwise, the nation was puffed up with the abundance of its mercies, made its boast in the flesh, rested in externals, turned from the lively oracles of God to the traditions of men, and, finally, apostatized in unbelief. And what do we gather from the history of the Church from the day of Pentecost until now? With clearer light and better promises, the Gospel of the kingdom has been preached for a witness among all nations; as many as are ordained to eternal life believe, and enter into rest; and the Lord is adding daily unto the Church such as shall be saved. But external rights and privileges do not necessarily confer spiritual blessings. The election of grace, deals with men as individuals, and while whole nations are outwardly baptized into the nominal Church of Christ, a comparatively small number have given evidence of the real regeneration of the Holy Ghost. Nay, the progress of the Church has been marked by an undue and unscriptural attention to externals, which has already led to a direct apostacy in the Romish Church, has almost overwhelmed the oriental Churches in ruin, and I must add, that there are symptoms of the same spirit in our country, which, if not restrained by the overruling hand of God, will inevitably lead to the same result. The declarations of our Lord, the writings of the apostles, and the book of the. Revelations, the Gentile book of prophecy, are unanimous in warning the Church against the apostacy of the latter days. For we may be well assured, that as the circumcised branches of Israel were broken off for unbelief, so will the baptized branches be cut off when the set time is come. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.'"-(pp. 250---252.)

(8 and 9.) We are compelled to pass by the other points of Mr. Freemantle's discourse, though ably treated, inasmuch as they are

particulars which have been, or will be, brought before the reader under a different aspect. And inasmuch as Mr. Bickersteth's discourse on the Recovery of Jerusalem from its long desolation, &c., will come under review when we proceed to notice the second volume before us, we also defer the notice of his discourse, and proceed to the ninth Lecture, by the Rev. A. Dallas, Rector of Wonston, Hants, on Deut. iv. 30-38; showing that the restoration of Israel is to be anticipated from the unchangeable nationality of the Jews, and God's miraculous dealing toward them.

Mr. Dallas observes, in the outset, that the facts contained in prophecy concerning the future history of the Jews, are so startling, that therefore the principle of literal interpretation seems like the stepping into the regions of imagination. We feel the justice of this remark; and that one great reason why the spiritualizing system prevails with many is,-not because it tends to elevate the mind, and raise our faith to more exalted and adequate notions of the power and glory of God, but because, when faith is staggered and bewildered, or, perchance, is altogether wanting, it enables the imagination to descend and repose upon what is more easily apprehended by the carnal heart and the limited faculties of man. But, as regards Israel, there are facts which have already passed into history, and which are even now to be observed with respect to them, which are also very wonderful, and therefore afford a pledge of the fulfilment of other wonders.. Mr. Dallas, for example, invites attention to this fact," that there exists at this moment a people who have existed nearly 4000 years. We know their origin, and can trace their course. They are at this moment a nation, under circumstances the most extraordinary, circumstances irreconcileable with the habits and ordinary experience of man. This people have never lost their nationality; they have continued to exist as a nation under difficulties which would have crushed any other people,-which have crumbled nation after nation, people after people, into dust."

Mr. Dallas next argues that there is a peculiarity in their case which warrants the inference, that the Jews ever must remain a people while the earth endures; which peculiarity he states to be the final object for which they were originally selected, nourished up, and matured into a nation; viz., to carry out the purposes of God in the restoration of fallen man;-in the restitution of the world to the state in which it was, when God said, " It is very good;" --and in disappointing the designs of Satan, so that he shall not have a triumph. (pp. 328–341.)

In the course of his subject the remarkable manner in which God has dealt with the Jews forms also a just ground of inference

for their national perpetuity. On this point we will first hear Mr. Dallas himself:

"His providential dealings with that people may be described as a miraculous system, as opposed to and distinguished from the ordinary system of providence carried on through the laws of nature. The laws of nature are so bound up with the providence by which God works the destinies of nations, that the Almighty hand need not be acknowledged by the infidel. In looking through the history of any country, it is quite possible to deduce rationally one step from another, and to show how events resulted from their proximate causes, or how they were knit together, according to the ordinary laws which govern the minds of men and the disposition of natural things. Behind all these, the Christian sees the ruling hand of God, and traces results to the will of the First Cause, moving all the ordinary laws of nature in a regular, uniform, beautiful manner, by the dispensation of angels, so that all the results work together for good to them that love God,' and for the disappointment of his enemies: but this is perceived only by the eye of faith. Such is the ordinary dealing of God with the nations of the world: not so with reference to the Jews. For them God puts aside the laws of nature; and that not once, nor rarely but it is his system, it is the distinguishing characteristic of his outward governing of the Jews. The laws of nature are made altogether to bend; so that, with the Jews, every great step in their whole history has been done miraculously, and not according to the order by which other nations are governed."—(pp. 356, 357.)

Mr. Dallas exemplifies these observations by the miracles which accompanied their Exodus from Egypt;-the signs and wonders of Mount Sinai at the giving of the law; their marvellous sustentation in the wilderness by the manna from heaven, water from the flinty rock, and raiment which waxed not old though continually worn for forty years; the overthrow of Jericho; the suspension of the course of nature during the slaughters and pursuit by Joshua of the combined armies of the five kings of Canaan; the miracles performed by Elijah and Elisha; and numerous other instances, which the time would fail to particularize. Nor can we refrain, before we take our leave of Mr. Dallas, from giving one specimen of his practical application of this matter:

"It would be of little use that we should consider what God has done for the Jews merely as a matter of speculation or curiosity. Alas! many have been learned in the ways of God to his people, who are now waiting, reserved in Hades for the place prepared for the devil and his angels; who will indeed know of the great consummation of the glory of the King of the Jews, but who will never enter into the glory. It is not the speculative inquiry-it is not the curious search into miraculous records, that we are assembled in the name of Christ here to prosecute. Our object is that we may better know how to glorify God-that we may have a clearer view of our own path—and be able to discern more of our own duty, and of God's character in its application to ourselves.

"The Jews truly are the seed of Abraham; but it is also true, that they are the seed of the woman; they are the children of Adam too. And we stand alike in that position. Now look at the character of the children of Adam, which has been brought before us in the course of this inquiry; read the Scriptures, and see how they detail it still further. It will show you, that no mercy, no miracle, no dispensation of wonder, no presence of God-nothing will rectify the natural heart of man, but only the Spirit of

God taking of the things of Christ, and showing them to that heart, taking possession of it altogether, and making us his temples. There must be the grace of that Spirit, to show us what we are. We very little consider what our natural hearts would lead us to. We live in a country where nationally Christ is lifted up; and the power of the mere name of Christ so enlightens all around, that we do not know what we should be in the darkness, until we come to look at a picture like this. Suppose God were to work miracles before us-and has he not? can you not look back upon your own secret history, and while men around remark upon your good fortune, your heart is bursting to acknowledge that God himself has led you by miracles of mercy? How many times has God preserved you from that, which might have sinned away the Spirit! How many times has he interposed for you against Satan, and has prevailed with you? My brethren, let us humble ourselves, and lie low at the foot of the cross, and say, God be merciful to me a sinner: I see what sin is; I see what power it has over man; I see what I should be, if thy grace were not with me; give me, O Lord, the grace of thy Holy Spirit."-(pp. 366, 367.)

(10.) The Rev. H. Girdlestone, rector of Landford, Wilts, in the tenth lecture, preached from Zechariah xii. 10, considers the Last Tribulation of the Jews, as connected with their Repentance, and preparatory to the Revelation of the Messiah. The author brings before us a rich piece of theology from these words, in his application of them to the atonement; as well as clear and cogent arguments in his interpretation of the prophecy. We must reluctantly confine ourselves to the latter point.

Speaking then of the manifestation of Messiah, of the mourning of the Jews, and of the siege mentioned therein, Mr. Girdlestone observes :

"Let us first take along with us the certainty, that neither this mourning, nor any of the events connected with it, have ever yet occurred; these events are yet unborn. The Jews could not look upon the Messiah, and mourn for him, until he was pierced; and this mourning is intimately connected with a siege of Jerusalem. What siege? When, since Christ was pierced, did ever God seek to destroy all the nations that came against Jerusalem? Not surely when Titus Vespasianus demolished, and Ælius Adrianus exterminated them. And ever since, instead of the spirit of grace, instead of mourning for him, they have hardened their hearts, and reject him to this day."—(p. 388.)

In regard to the future siege of Jerusalem, our author infers, that when our Lord, in Matt. xxiv., foretold the period when that city should be compassed with armies, and great tribulation should come upon the people, he referred to two periods of siege; the one being the desolation inflicted by Titus, the other a desolation yet to be accomplished. This he deduces from our Lord's admonition to the disciples to take heed and understand what Daniel says concerning "the abomination which maketh desolate" standing in the holy place; which in Dan. xi. xii. evidently is connected with a period of trouble yet to come. Moreover the siege mentioned in Zech. xii. is clearly not the siege by Titus, because it is coupled, not with the dispersion of the Jews but with their deli

verance, and (as we have seen already) with the destruction of all

their enemies.

In regard to the mourning of Israel, it is shown that nothing of the kind took place nationally at the crucifixion, neither afterwards; but that, on the contrary, the Jews continue hardened and resolved to justify that transaction, even unto this day. The mourning therefore he contends must be future, and touchingly describes it in the following passage:

"They mourn apart, a private mourning, as when a mother indulges and loves her grief, wailing over the only darling of her bosom lost. The whole land mourns, as at that great public mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. That was upon a great occasion, the death of the good King Josiah, by the hand of Pharaoh Necho; an event recorded in civil as well as sacred history, and even, as it is thought, upon the monuments of Egypt; but a greater than Josiah is here; not a principal person among the sons of men, but the only-begotten Son of the Most High and Eternal God; and he, not coming to his death in honourable battle, and for no fault of their's, but made a curse for them-even for them and for their transgressions. Died Abner as a fool dieth? said David, with great regret. Died Messiah as a curse for me? shall be their lament. Died our Messiah as a curse; even as it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree?' And another shall answer and say, Yea, on that tree of torture, that infamous tree; for it is also written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them. But Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.' This shall be their moan. Conceive the prolonged days of that mourning, and self-loathing: the abstinence from all wine and pleasant meat; their clothes rent, dust on their heads; every tent sobs. But God himself, even their own God, shall wipe off all tears from every eye."-(pp. 406, 407.)

Mr. Girdlestone also contends that the advent and vision of Christ, mentioned in this prophecy, are necessarily to be understood as being personal and manifest in the most literal sense; on the just analogy, that as the description of the siege, and the mention of the wounds of Messiah, and the repentance and wailing of the Jews, are all confessedly literal statements, there can be no sufficient reason assigned for not understanding the advent literally also. We must take our leave of Mr. Girdlestone with this further argument to the point in hand:

"But what needs even this inference, when the rally to the rescue is obviously literal and personal? Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations. But this does not satisfy you? Yet surely this will:- And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee!' But here we have the descriptive accuracy almost of a legal instrument laying down the abutments of a field:- His feet shall stand that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem, towards the east.' These are not figures but facts. It is the plain announcement of a matter of fact and personal arrival (in the midst of a literal earthquake too) at that very Mount of Olives from which, when he ascended up in the presence of his apostles, until a cloud received him out of their sight, immediately a vision of angels stood beside them and said, that his return should be even in like manner as they had seen him go into heaven. They certainly shall look upon that very