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nothing that they may have as their own, hut all as intrusted to their care, for the good of all, as they have opportunity!

I know not of any objection to the supposition of this people being Israel, which has not been anticipated by the spirit of prophecy, and which may not be turned to the advantage of our argument. Thus:—

Had they, like the prodigal son, wandered into a far country, among fields of swine? Were they found eating things that are ceremonially unclean? Such was foretold of Israel. It was prophesied that he would eat

[LEC. VIII.

unclean things, in the land of Assyria. Had they corrupted their religion, so as even to become worshippers of wood and stone, and of new gods, which had newly come up? Such, also, was plainly foretold of Israel. Had they lost even the name of Israel, and were they not known as being the peculiar people of God? This also was foretold. The prodigal son was not only to be lost to his father, but even to himself. But the lost son shall find himself: he hath already, even when afar off, been found of his Father.—Isa. lxiii. 16— 19:—

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wilderness, they made a wilful attempt to take possession of the land; in which they were put to shame, and made to turn back from before their enemies, into the wilderness, until they had been so trained, as that the land could, consistently with their true good, be given them in permanent possession. From that time to the present, the course of this people has been ever progressive. Their God has been ever, more and more, enriching them by his providence, and unfolding to them, still more clearly and largely, the treasures of His grace. They have been ever in a course of improvement. Discovery and invention have gone hand in hand; and opportunities of consecrating these to the good of man, and the glory of God, have correspondently abounded. The providence of God, equally with the plain declarations of His word, testifies, most distinctly, to the truth of our Israelitish origin.

As to Language, it is granted that this could not of itself identify a people; or distinguish Israel, for example, from the Canaanites, who seem to have spoken the same language with that of Israel; nor does that of Babylon appear to have been greatly different and we know that the very people referred to, have, in many cases, changed their language; so that the words used by a nation, in one age, can scarcely be understood by their descendants in another. Still it may be expected that a sufficiency would remain of the Hebrew, to tell of this people's former acquaintance therewith, and such is the case. has been observed by linguists, that a very great deal of the ancient language of Israel exists in the modern languages of Europe; and that it is through a Gothic medium that this plentiful supply of Hebrew has come. So much have these languages been thrown into a Hebrew mould, that a French Abbe has lately proposed to make use of the Hebrew, as the grand key to these languages,-as that whereby they may most easily be ac

It

[LEC. VIII.

quired; and, it is said, he has been remarkably successful.

The time of the Introduction of Christianity among this people is rather remarkable: it was just when it was fading away into mere formalism or superstition, in all other parts of the world; and when, throughout the east, it was being engulphed by Mohammedanism, so as to be threatened with entire extinction in all its original seats. Then did it reach these nations-then did it take root among them, and thence did they become, emphatically, Christendom. And, contrary to all other people, their course has been progressive with regard to religion, as it has been with regard to every thing else.

It need scarcely be remarked, that both Poetry and Music were greatly cultivated in Israel. These were accomplishments which, it might be expected, would be eminently possessed by a people who were to be peculiarly devoted to the worship of God-the Most High over all the earth: and accordingly, they, especially the Germans, have been remarkable for musical talent, and particularly as to instrumental music; and the genius of their music appears to be very much like that of the Jews. With regard to poetry, in all its varieties, these nations have been remarkable. Poetry was greatly cultivated, even among the operatives, in the cities of the edes, and in Italy, after the genius of the Gothic race began to develop itself in verse, one of the most important changes that we observe, is the production of the Sonnet, or song of fourteen lines, in which so much was written by Petrarch. In the same age, Antonio a Tempo, a civilian at Padua, who wrote on poetry, distinguishes sixteen different kinds of Sonnet. Now, the like variety of this kind of composition prevails to an immense extent in the Scriptures, as has abundantly been exemplified in the course of these lectures. This might still more largely be exemplified in the songs of degrees in the Book of Psalms. It will scarcely be said that

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these people learned to write sonnets from their perusal of the Scriptures, as conveyed to them through a Christian medium: for, as far as I know, these sonnets have lain unobserved in the Scriptures from the time the Bible was first circulated in Europe. That kind of composition, along with many others, amounting to above an hundred, seems to have been preserved among the people of Israel, during all their wanderings; although they do not appear to have recognized it in their own Sacred Writings, when these were restored to them through the medium of Christianity.

These are the people who have already been blessed with the choicest blessings both temporal and spiritual. When darkness overspread the earth, and gross darkness the people, it was upon them that the light dawned, at the time of the Reformation; just as it was towards their part of the world, as we have already seen, that the preaching and the Epistles of the Apostles, all went forth at the beginning of the Christian dispensation. And among them, or the people sprung from them, did not only that important change take place,—but also, every revival in more modern times. These are the people who have shown the greatest adaptation of mind for the study of the Scriptures. They have not merely studied them most for themselves,-they have translated them into almost every tongue, and distributed them all over the globe. They are, besides, most in the position of waiting for the coming of their Lord, and the promised outpouring of the Spirit. These are, certainly, much less than they ought-still they are most in the position commanded and promised to Israel.

Many, also, are the temporal blessings which have been conferred upon this race;-the numberless discoveries and improvements which have sprung up among them, and of them been distributed over the globe. Among the first of these was paxer, the very fine substance of

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which books are now made; allowing what would formerly have been a rather extensive library, to be condensed into a volume, that may, without inconvenience, be carried in the pocket; and that this may more effectually be accomplished, and copies multiplied at (comparatively) no labour and expense, they have been given Printing. By steam power, the process of printing has been still farther facilitated, to an immense extent, and the books rapidly spread over the land, and sent even afar over the sea, with almost the certainty of their reaching their destination at the apromised made. to the discovery of steam power has the city been spread all over the country, and the country brought, as it were, into the city; and remote corners of the earth brought into conjunction: whilst human labour is lightened, and the conveniences of life are multiplied, to an amazing extent. Nor could these advantages have been enjoyed, but for the previous discovery of the compass, by which the great waste of waters can so easily be traversed;-and gunpowder, by which all obstructions can be so rapidly removed, in "exalting the valleys, and making low every mountain," so that highways may be cast up for the rapid conveyance of men, and the means of blessing them. How rapidly has education of late proceeded! How has all science been searched out, and all arts improved, -and antiquities ransacked, and inventions multiplied. The Lord hath indeed been hastening his work in these our times. He hath been putting most liberally into our hands. He hath also been opening the eyes of many here and there, to see wondrous things out of his law. May the beauty of his word be indeed made to appear,-and may its power be felt; and may, for this, the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and may his people indeed see their position-and their privilege, and be thoroughly persuaded to live not unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them, and rose again; reckoning

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nothing that they may have as their own, but all as intrusted to their care, for the good of all, as they have opportunity!

I know not of any objection to the supposition of this people being Israel, which has not been anticipated by the spirit of prophecy, and which may not be turned to the advantage of our argument. Thus:

Had they, like the prodigal son, wandered into a far country, among fields of swine? Were they found eating things that are ceremonially unclean? Such was foretold of Israel. It was prophesied that he would eat

[LEC. VIII.

unclean things, in the part of Assyria. Had they corrupted their religion, so as even to become worshippers of wood and stone, and of new gods, which had newly come up? Such, also, was plainly foretold of Israel. Had they Saka , by the name of Israel, and were they not known as being the peculiar people of God? This also was foretold. The prodigal son was not only to be lost to his father, but even to himself. But the lost son shall find himself: he hath already, even when afar off, been found of his Father.-Isa. lxiii. 1619:

We are- :