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cially to one so brought before us as this is in the word of God, without many collateral blessings.

The interest which the Established Church of Ireland has taken in the Jewish cause has also been, to the Author's own knowledge, on personal visits in Ireland, highly exemplary. Amidst all the difficulties of faithful ministers in Ireland, this cause has so maintained its hold on their affections that £2000 is yearly contributed by our sister church in Ireland for the conversion of Israel.

The vigorous efforts made in favour of the Jewish nation by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, notwithstanding the peculiar difficulties of that church at the present moment, calls also for the gratitude and imitation of Protestant churches every where. When assisting at the formation of an Auxiliary to the London Jews Society at Edinburgh, in May, 1839, the Author stated, what he still deeply feels, that "the Jews' Society was specially also interesting, as a point of union now, through the late delightful movement in the General Assembly in sending a deputation to the Jews, between the two sister churches of England and Scotland. I cannot in the least sympathise with those high-minded boastings which lead men of either communion to glory over any who, amidst manifest infirmities even, may yet truly love our Lord Jesus Christ. I speak, I believe, the sentiments of a large and devoted part of the Church of England, as well as of Scotland, that, however we may give a preference to our respective church constitutions, we see that ministers of either church, who are faithfully preaching Christ and seeking his glory, are both on the one foundation, and brother ministers in the one Church of our one Head and common Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. We feel also that we are called in this day to a common conflict with his enemies, and desire to stand together and contend with one spirit against Socinians and

Papists, and all the spiritual foes of our Lord Jesus Christ, to maintain the purity of the glorious Gospel of the Grace of God. Our one object should be not to magnify ourselves, nor to exalt even our respective churches, but to magnify our one Lord and Saviour, lay the crown at his feet, and rejoice in the thought that he shall bear all the glory."

He ventures also farther to avail himself of this opportunity of expressing interest and sympathy in the present situation of the Scottish church. It is a most touching and heart-interesting cause to contend for the most scriptural of all means of doing good, a pure and efficient gospel ministry; to struggle for the right solution of the most difficult perhaps of all problems in the present state of the church of Christ, while on its way to its high destinies, the maintenance of such a ministry in its spiritual character, wholly and avowedly under the exclusive dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ, and independant of the State; and yet in connection with that State and dependant upon it in reference to its worldly support! and this after being robbed of its endowments by the rapacity of past ages. The coming glory of the kingdom of Christ will solve this difficulty in that perfected union and the entire combination of Church and State which we wait for, in the kingdom of Him, who is at once Prophet, Priest, and King of his people. The Church of Scotland appears in its constitution to have approached very near to the just limits of the present respective spheres of Church and State; but here as elsewhere we see and are compelled to acknowledge the present infirmities of the visible church. All power, vested in human trusteeship, is liable to abuse, and no doubt such a power as the General Assembly seeks to maintain, may be abused! as it appeared to the author to have been in the condemnation and deposition of Mr. Campbell in 1831, for what seemed to the author rather verbal in

accuracies than fundamental errors. But, however, in the opinion of some, the General Assembly may have been formally wrong in any step which may have incidentally augmented their present difficulties, their great principles and their grand aim are scripturally right and of immense importance, and hence their present situation demands our lively interest and our earnest intercessions. I would pray therefore for them, that in the progress of this difficult and painful conflict, special wisdom and firmness, with patience and forbearance, may be given to our sister church. I trust there may be opportunities opened and improved for the members of the church of England, in their different ranks and stations, to express both sympathy and love to an established Protestant church thus near to us, and in trials and difficulties which may very soon reach our own church. O how blessed will trials be if they do but bring near to each other the faithful brethren of all the churches of Christ!

The author submits the scriptural subject of the restoration of the Jews to their own land to the consideration of his brethren in the ministry and of his fellow Christians. He believes it to be not only a scriptural, but also a practical and seasonable doctrine for the edification of the church. He earnestly prays to our heavenly Father to grant that the Holy Spirit, whose office it is to guide into all truth and to shew us things to come, may be largely imparted to all in their fulfilling the plain direction to take heed to the sure word of prophecy.

Watton Rectory, Herts,

February 1, 1841.

EDWARD BICKERSTETH.

ADVERTISEMENT TO THE SECOND

EDITION.

THE rapid sale of the first Edition of this work shews the interest which Christians take now in this subject. The Sermon which the Author preached in the West Street Chapel Lectures has been added, and he has strengthened the introductory remarks with some farther observations.

To God be glory for the deeper and wider concern which the Gentile Churches are continually now manifesting towards his people Israel.

Watton Rectory, Herts,

May 31st, 1841.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS,

ON THE SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCE FOR THE

FUTURE RE

STORATION OF THE JEWS, ON SOME OF THE PRESENT REMARKABLE CIRCUMSTANCES CONCERNING THEM, AND THE PRACTICAL LESSONS WHICH GOD'S DEALINGS WITH THEM TEACHES.

Of all the nations of the earth, the Jewish nation has unquestionably been the largest blessing to the human race. However much any nation may have been indebted to other nations, for arts and for science, for genius and for eloquence, for taste and for civilization, for riches or for jurisprudence, to the Jews all nations. are indebted for a better light than the wisest of the heathen ever could discern, or the most enlightened of their philosophers ever did or could bestow. Full divine knowledge on that which most nearly concerns us, respecting our Maker or ourselves, our duty now and our happiness for ever, and that spiritual light which the most favoured human beings enjoy at the present moment, God has vouchsafed to bestow through Jewish prophets, Jewish evangelists, and Jewish apostles. Our Lord himself, according to the flesh, was born of a Jewish mother, and lived, and suffered, and wrought his mighty miracles, and died and rose again in Judea. Our daily spiritual

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