THE Lord, as the God of Providence who hath wrought so wondrously in judgment with regard to both his people and their land, has, as we have seen, pledged himself that he will, through grace, work as wondrously in their behalf-in behalf of both Israel and Judah; and, having recognised them as the children of those very fathers whom He redeemed from Egyptian bondage, and who broke the covenant He then made with the chosen nation-He has promised to receive these, the descendants of those undeserving fathers, into the enjoyment of his counsel of peace. privileges of the New Covenant, promulgated in the Gospel, are, therefore, more especially theirs. Having also referred to his mighty power as directing, upholding, and controlling, the various movements of creation, whether in heaven or upon the earth, He hath given his word, that the people for whom the covenant was provided, and who to the eye of man seemed to be lost, will be preserved unto the performance of the promises made unto them. And, having alluded to

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the immeasurable height of the heavens and the unsearchable foundations of the earth, He has declared his mercy to be equally unexhaustible with regard to Israel; who, indeed, seemed to be cast off, but who will yet be able to inderstand the word that He hath spoken, "I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away."

Yea, although we have sinned against him, times and ways without number, his fatherly compassions have been great towards us still. Although we had wandered far from him, and had utterly forgotten our resting place, we were never hid from the eye of our God; and He hath been overruling even the physical changes on our globe for our advantage; and He hath been instructing us in the laws according to which the operations of nature are conducted, that we might avail ourselves of his knowledge in the production of works, whereby to manifest the power of the life we have in Him. And especially hath he, with as constant a course as that whereby the laws of nature proceed, sent the offers of New Testament grace unto his

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people who have been led into the place prepared; and, together with his word, hath he also sent or provided the means, whereby his truth may be declared unto others, as well as enjoyed by themselves, so far as is fitting in their present position out of the land, which He gave unto our fathers, and upon which He hath promised yet to build and to plant both the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

The distinguished maritime position, which the Lord's chosen people have been given out of the land, was the best fitted for the time and circumstances. In no other situation that we know, could they have been so well prepared, or could they have acquired such a variety of means, or could they have been so free to use these means, of going forth for the encompassing all nations, for colonizing all the ends of the earth, for sowing the seeds of peaceful industry in every variety of soil, among every people, and under every clime. If there hath been unfaithfulness, it hath been on the part of man, not on the part of the Father of Israel: who, while Ephraim was yet a great way off, hath met and dealt with him as his first-born. And equally faithful as He hath been in the past, will He be in the future unto his promising word. It shall not return unto him void. It will bring back the people after whom it was sent. They will return with it in their hands, their understandings, their hearts, and their mouths. From all the ends of the earth will they return unto that land, which hath been lying desolate without them, to their central inland position; from which branch out the great continents of the old world, together with seas between, whereby maritime communication may still be freely held with the coasts of these continents, north or south; and, as well, with the more newly discovered portions of our globe, in the east and the west. This, with the blessing of the Lord, will be found as eminently fitted for the being a radiating centre, in the time and circum

stances which are approaching, as has been their present abode in those that are past, for their being sown over the earth-for the depositing their seed in many waters.

God hath been overruling their working: The merchant and manufacturer sought their gain, and the soldier his glory, and the politician aimed after power. Even among those whose service might be expected to be more directly towards the Lord, there have not been a few who have been looking "every man for his gain from his quarter." Many have been seeking to gratify their own whim, or have merely been indulging a restless spirit of adventure: But God hath been overruling it all. His purpose shall stand, and He will do all His pleasure.

This manner of proceeding, however, in which men have been build-" ing for themselves, and planting for themselves, is not that which is to be: a great and important change is to be effected in the motives of men, powerfully influencing their conduct, and resulting in the greatest good to man, and much glory to the Supreme Dispenser of blessing. The rule which Christ taught his disciples, but which hath been so long neglected, is now to be followed, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." They shall seek righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost: and, acknowledging their sins, and the sins of their fathers, for which they were cast out of his inheritance, they shall lay hold upon his strength: He had said they may make peace with Him; yea, He hath said,