our future kingdom and preparing the way for that glorious time when his will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. Every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer. The possession of Judea by Israel for ever also redounds to the glory of the Lord, as closely connected with this inheritance. The difference respecting the literal and spiritual restoration of Israel is a part of that question which relates to the redemption of all earthly things. It is the design of Christ to bring what is visible, and sensible, and material into full subjection to (Phil. ii. 10, 11.) and entire sanctified combination with the spiritual and invisible; (Ephes. i. 10) a union which has its chief illustration and its great assurance to our souls in the incarnation of our Lord and Saviour. One of the peculiar difficulties indeed of this question now is, that the friends of Christ and his foes are so intermingled, that they sometimes do not know each other. Merely spiritual men and mere men of the world are found unitedly opposing those who hold the fullest truth. The merely spiritual men deny the value of sacraments, or of national establishments, or the grateful use of earthly things, or the restoration of the Jews; and the merely infidel men of the world, delighted with such aid, join them in the hope of overthrowing the whole of God's word. But the outward ordinances, and the union of Church and State, and the right enjoyment of God's creation, and the restoration of Israel, are as real a part of God's design of love to men, as the invisible and spiritual glories of his church. There has been indeed hitherto, on the border Ilands of the disputed territory, a perpetual conflict. But though now our world, beautiful even in its ruins, be in a measure under the dominion of Satan, yet all God's dispensations are more and more eject ing Satan from it; he is fallen from heaven, and he will soon be cast into the bottomless pit. The earth is redeemed from its enemy, and though it has yet to be purified in its last fiery baptism, it is not then to be annihilated, but restored; and every step in each dispensation has been a step towards its full recovery, and towards the bringing all in the coming dispensation, whether visible or invisible, civil or ecclesiastical, earthly or heavenly, into one perfected union, under one head and king. In such a blessed prospect, let us live the life and do the works of Abraham. Let us, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, given in full measure to our Head, for our use, and in the fore-anticipation of that glory when, as kings and priests unto God, we shall reign on the earth, no longer be in bondage to earthly things, but have them in subjection to us; our own body being first subdued. 1 Cor. ix. 27. It is the assurance that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that leads to a life of praise and constrains us, as strangers and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul. The confidence and knowledge that the saints shall judge the world enables us to overcome innumerable difficulties, and leads to the noble spirit of him, who, while he could say all things are lawful for me, would also add, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 1 Cor. vi. 12. When faith has drawn away all the blinds which kept the full light of heaven from our dwelling-place, we see the real character of all things contained in the spacious rooms, as it were, of creation, and thus can behold all those spiritual and heavenly glories, which, as in splendid pictures, display to us our future and eternal inheritance and fatherland. Thus we are even now in part redeemed from our bondage to the earth, and all earthly things are to us redeemed from a mere carnal use, and, however mean in themselves, become types of heavenly things, pledges of our interest in those heavenly things, and divine ordinances for raising our hearts to them. Thus Enoch lived, and one short sentence describes the whole of his holy life and of his happy endEnoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him. Thus may we walk also, and be cheered by the brighter hope of the nearer time in which we shall be caught up and translated to our glory. Come then, Christian reader, and partake with us of this blessed hope and of these scriptural and holy joys. They are not the novelties of the day, but the old paths in which the flock has walked from the very beginning. They are not modern inventions, but they pervade the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. They are not new things in Christianity, the early fathers and martyrs, as you may see at the close of this work, firmly believed them, and died in the faith of them. They humble man, they exalt the Saviour, and they promote holiness. Search the scriptures, see them plainly there, believe them, confess them, and spread them through the earth. THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. DISCOURSE I. THE CONQUESTS OF DIVINE TRUTH GENERALLY. [PREACHED IN ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL, DUBLIN, ON TRINITY SUNDAY AFTERNOON, JUNE 14, 1840.] REVELATIONS VI. 2. And he went forth conquering and to conquer. CHRISTIAN Missions, viewed as the Divine Spirit views them, are a great and arduous warfare. The enemies to be overthrown are very mighty. The conflict is long and the difficulties are great; but God designs that in the result there should be one fold, under one shepherd, and Jew and Gentile be one in Christ Jesus. The prophecy of the Revelation is the plan, as it were, of the divine campaign, describing the whole scene of the war. The issue is sure and glorious, the B progress is constant and ceaseless. The steps are indeed mysterious, but this watchword is inscribed on the portal through which the armies of God march to the field-Conquering and to conquer. The text is a part of the description of the opening of the first of the seven seals by which God unfolds to his church things to come. It has a direct reference to the early spread of the gospel. The white horse is the symbol of the primitive church in its purity. Thus it is said, Zech. x. 3, The Lord of Hosts has visited his flock, the house of Judah, and hath made them his goodly horse as in the battle. The rider on the white horse is the Spirit of truth, presiding over its course, winning souls to the faith of Christ. This corresponds to the description in Zech. vi. 8, where we have four chariots and different coloured horses, and they are explained to mean the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. It also corresponds to the mystical meaning of the other riders on the horses (v. 4. 5. 8.) The going forth of this white horse is the progress of the victories of truth, and its conquering and to conquer shows, that its present victories are made the pledge of fuller triumphs to come, each victory an assurance of future. This subject will furnish us with much encouragement to labour for the salvation of Jews and Gentiles. The words suggest. I. The enemies to be overcome. II. The prolonged conflict requisite. I. THE ENEMIES TO BE OVERCOME. The real enemy is sin, the transgression of God's law by his own creatures, but its forms and strongholds are very various and multiplied; as the world, the flesh and the Devil may tempt and assail us. We will view some of these leading forms, |