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confident that he would crown their labours with success. And what lukewarm soul shall deem them enthusiasts? God we readily acknowledge is the author of all spiritual good: but in the wisdom of his providence he uses his friends, and they faithfully exert their own respective abilities in concurrence. Under the guidance of heaven reformations have generally been effected by the efforts of God's people. The primitive christians realized and practised the truths and precepts of the gospel. Instead of imitating timid officers, who at the time of danger choose a rear post, and order their men to advance; like brave leaders in the front of battle, they pressed forward with unwavering faith and resolution. Be ye followers of me as I also am of Christ Jesus, was the spirit of those glorious times. Ministers and private christians, brothers and sisters, were full of pious emulation, and devoutly excited each other to exhibit the brightest examples: and until the light of the church shall shine with becoming lustre, as in the morning of christianity, the darkness of the world will not be dispelled. Gentile christians must recommend religion to Gentile sinners, and vast multitudes must be reclaimed before the constituted road will even be marked out for the return of the miserable Jews. Alas! Alas! The SEED of Abraham! Where are they? Where are the blind, deluded Jews? They are now dispersed among the Gentile nations and are most shamefully trodden under foot. They do not believe that Jesus is the Christ: and when

will they commence christians? Not till the Gentiles act according to the spirit of the gospel. Then will they be excited; then the Jews will be provok. ed to that pious jealousy which the apostle with so much desire anticipated. The Jews are destitute of honor and authority among the Gentiles, and hate and despise christians on account of the hard and rigorous treatment which they receive from their hands. They despise christians on account of their belief as really as christians despise them on account of their unbelief. And how or when is the quarrel respecting Christ to be settled and adjusted between the contending parties? The connexion we have examined affords ample information: "For blindness in part is happened to the Jews until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." The Gentiles will first be reclaimed. When the saving influence of the gospel shall have had its course among other nations; when the millions of Gentiles come to Christ, and no longer retard and oppress the Jews, then and not till then will the seed of Abraham attend to their rejection and danger. Then, agreeably to the spirit of prophecy, God will change the heart of the Jewish nation and take away the vail of unbelief and make a new covenant with them, which shall be perpetual. But in order to this glorious event all Gentile christians must unite their influence to extend the savour of grace. among the hosts of Gentile sinners: and then the

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fulness of the Gentiles, or the united nations of the earth, must recommend Christ to the Jews. For the inflexible Jews will not believe that Jesus is the Christ until they discover a harmony between the theory and practice of christians.

But, whether I have properly pointed out that course of operation which God will adopt in making the conversion of the Gentiles the occasion of the restoration of the Jews, is submitted to those who are best acquainted with the history of providence and the volume of inspiration.

IMPROVEMENT.

First. WE infer from the subject the peculiar display of divine sovereignty in reference to mankind. It was natural for the angels of light to expect that the destruction of man would directly succeed his apostacy. For no reason presented to authorize a peculiar difference between the circumstances of fallen man and fallen angels. The reason of this discrimination is not yet ascertained on earth, and perhaps not even among the inhabitants of heaven. At some distant point of duration the mystery may be unfolded to swell the song of the redeemed. But, aside from this general display of sovereign grace towards man, in distinction from fallen spirits, though a saviour was offered to the whole human race, yet God who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will, while preparing some to embrace Christ and be saved, leaves others to reject him and be

lost. Amid the numerous inhabitants of the former world there were a few chosen vessels whose names are registered in heaven. Subsequently to the deluge, which destroyed the most of mankind, the sovereignty of God distinctly marked his operations relative to sinners. Abraham by the special grace of God was called, not only from the world at large, but from his idolatrous connexions, and constituted the Father of the Faithful. In his family the church was established, and by his seed it was supported in a discriminating manner from generation to generation several thousand years to the advent of Christ. In the lineage of the Patriarch we follow the church from Canaan to Egypt, from Egypt to Canaan again; from thence to Babylon and from thence once more to the land of promise. How sovereign the dispensation! For during this long period of three thousand years, while the peculiar blessings of religion were restricted to the family of the Jews, the other nations of the earth were left in heathenish blindness. While Zion flourished among the Jews, idolatry reigned triumphantly among the Gentiles. God, who made all things for himself, and guides the spheres and has the hearts of kings and subjects in his hand, as clay in the hand of the potter, in the course of time, left the Jews at large to reject his Son, and made ample room for the church among the Gentiles. While the Jews were rcjected for rejecting Christ, the Gentiles were graciously called to embrace him, as their Lord and

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Saviour. Hence say the Apostles: "It was necessary that the word of God should have been first preached to you; but seeing ye put it far from you and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us. When the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of God, and as many as were ordained unto eternal life believed."

Thus God in the most incomprehensible manner has displayed his sovereign grace. The inspired apostle, therefore, while contemplating the sovereign grace of God relative to the human race in general, the Jews and Gentiles in particular, the salvation of some and the rejection of others, with his mind and heart full of admiration and submission, expresses himself in this sublime manner: "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompenced to him again! For of him and through him and to him are all things, to whom be glory, forever, Amen." The inexpressible divinity and sublimity of the passage preclude any exposition. For many of the human race are saved, while all deserve destruction. The Jews and Gentiles al ternately help each other.

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