and its neighbourhood.* Rachel, whose sepulchre was situated in the midst of this sanguinary scene, and from whom, as the mother of Benjamin and Joseph, descended no inconsiderable portion of the Jewish people, is poetically introduced by the prophet as abandoning herself, in the persons of her bereaved and disconsolate daughters, to excessive grief and lamentation. "She refused," it is said, "to be comforted "-a representation which accords with the anguish which must have invaded the bosoms, and lacerated the hearts of tender mothers, whose infant offspring were torn from their embrace, and slaughtered before their eyes. But the message which is brought to her is peculiarly worthy of our notice, in relation to the present inquiry. She is told, to "refrain her voice from weeping, and her eyes from tears ;" and with a view to enforce the exhortations, the promise of indemnity is held out to her; "Thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord." And the prophet then proceeds to explain the nature of this recompense in figurative and striking language. The death of her children is spoken of as a state of vassalage, and the region of separate spirits as the country in which they were detained as captives by the king of terrors; and, in accordance with the same imagery, their resurrection, or release, from his

*Matt. ii. 17, 18.

dominion, is described under the idea of returning to the land of their nativity. Such an assurance of their existence, and of their recovery, in due time, to the possession of life, was full of consolation. But relief still more complete is administered to her in the closing part of the address. And there is hope in thine end," that is, thy death, "saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border." If we take up this language in the literal sense, we must understand it as containing a promise that the friends and relatives of the Jewish people, who were separated from one another by the captivity, should in due time meet, and be restored to one another in the land of their fathers. But the case must be analogous, in the figurative import of the words, unless we attach to them a meaning that will deprive them of their relevancy and force. The passage, therefore, contained a plain intimation to the mothers of Israel, not only that their children, who had been put to death at the bidding of a cruel and despotic ruler, would be made partakers of life everlasting, but they would be restored to the embrace of their believing parents. And we have reason to extend the argument beyond the particular point to which it applies, and to infer that all the faithful, who, like Rachel, are weeping over the death of their infant offspring, or the remains of departed worth, shall find these

dissevered bonds renewed on the day of redemp tion, when" the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion, with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads."

MATT. VIII. 11.

"And I say unto you,

That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven."

In this interesting description of future felicity, the Saviour has expressed himself in terms which scarcely amount to any thing short of the plain and unequivocal declaration of his mind on the subject before us. The happiness of the saints is represented under the emblem of a festive scene, and the point of allusion which deserves our notice, and on which rests the evidence contained in the passage, relates to the gratification which guests of kindred sentiments find in the circumstance of being able to identify each other. Multitudes of strangers are to come from the four quarters of the earth,* and they are to "sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." Here is a special honour and felicity promised to them; and how can the

* Luke xiii. 29.

declaration be realized, in any manner, consistently, which does not imply the knowledge of these distinguished individuals? If we are bound, in all reason, to receive that as the true meaning of any passage, which is the most simple and agreeable to common apprehension, can we justly suppose any thing short of this knowledge to be intended in the language of our Lord? For in what other sense is it at all likely to be understood, by any persons, whose judgments are guided by the plain and unbiassed dictates of reason? And wherefore, indeed, should specific mention be made at all of the three illustrious patriarchs, but to intimate that they would be known to the numerous strangers to be associated with them, from the most distant parts of the earth? And do we not overlook the characteristic circumstance of their fellowship, and render the very point of allusion irrelevant, by so interpreting the passage as to conclude that the latter will have no personal acquaintance with the former, and possess no means of identifying them amonst the inhabitants of heaven?

Let us consider what, in effect, the representation of our Saviour would amount to, if we understand it in any other sense than that which concedes the point to be established. "The faith and humility," we must suppose him to say, "which ye witness in this centurion, is but the pledge and first-fruits of the triumph of my grace over the

Gentile nations. Many of the heathen, in the remotest parts of the earth, shall become the willing subjects of my kingdom; and the time shall arrive when they shall come from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south,' and enjoy the high felicity of holding intercourse with the most renowned and pious of your ancestors. They shall sit down at the heavenly banquet among the rest, with Abraham, the father of the faithful, in whom ye are accustomed to boast; with Isaac, the child of promise; and with Jacob, whose holy and persevering ardour in prayer was such as to obtain for him the name of Israel. But do not, at the same time, suppose, that they will be able to distinguish these individuals, or any others, in the mansions of bliss. Although they shall, indeed, be guests in common with them at the table of my Father, they will not be conscious of being in the society of those who were distinguished patriarchs on earth, nor shall they ever know them as such, though they shall dwell and converse with them for ever in the kingdom of heaven."

Such is the import of the language we must ascribe to the Saviour, on the supposition that he did not intend us to believe that the three patriarchs referred to will be known to the gentile converts, who are to participate with them in the happiness of the life to come. And if they will not