It appears, by all the information obtained, that the enterprise has utterly failed, and all exertions for the object have proved entirely abortive. What is the reason? It is, we are persuaded, because the great gulf is fixed between them, and remains an insuperable obstacle to the success of the enterprise, and of all those benevolent exertions.

Nor will we conceal our full conviction, that this gulf of separation between the Jews and Gentiles, in relation to the Christian religion, is consistent with, and even agreeable to, the eternal purpose of God, who, however mysteriously to us, worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. His counsel shall stand; and in the grand result, will be seen to have been infinitely wise and benevolent. All intelligences shall be constrained to acknowledge and adore it.

We inquire then and the inquiry is exceedingly interesting--Will this great gulf ever be removed, so that there will be nothing to hinder persons-or these different portions of the human family-from passing and repassing, and mingling together in harmony? Or shall this fearful gulf, this insuperable obstruction, continue forever? Our brethren of other denominations contend earnestly for the faith of the latter position. We have long been told that this great gulf is to be perpetuated to all eternity. It has been represented as a broad and horrid chasm, deep and large, fixed by a God of inexorable vengeance, to prevent poor damned souls from escaping out of hell, and passing over into heaven! I doubt not but the most of you, my hearers, are ready to bear me witness this evening, that you have often heard it stated from the pulpit, with great concern, and as a salutary warning-that the un

happy sufferers in the future world of wo could never escape from their torments, because of the tremendous gulf that had been fixed, and would always remain, rendering deliverance impossible.

We trust, however, that it has been conclusively shown in these Lectures, that no such doctrine is taught, or was intended in the parable,—that its reference is to the present life only; and to circumstances and events which have occurred, and which are yet to take place, in the dispensations of Divine Providence towards those two distinct divisions of mankind—the Jews and Gentiles. But will not this great gulf ever be removed? Or, to drop the figure, will the obstacles to the union, intercourse, and religious agreement and harmony of these two different classes of people, never be done away?

us.

We answer, yes; of which the sacred writingsthe faithful word of prophecy-very explicitly assures Indeed, what less than this can be understood by that declaration of our Saviour: "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be ONE FOLD, UNDER ONE SHEPHERD.” Out of abundance of testimony that might be brought forward fully to this point, I will further, at present, cite but two other passages,—one by a prophet, and another by an apostle. The first is in the prophecy of Isaiah, 11th and 12th chapters, as follows: "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots; and the Spirit o the Lord shall rest upon him; the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the

spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord-with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time, to recover the remnant of His people which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.—And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the

Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams thereof, and make men go over dry shod. And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord, for he hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.”

I must be excused for this long quotation. You cannot but see that it is exceedingly appropriate to our subject, and that it contemplates a union and concord between Jews and Gentiles, utterly inconsistent with the continuance of this great gulf of separation.

I must now cite you the confident declaration of an inspired and enraptured apostle, to the same point. It is in the 11th of Romans. "I say then, hath God cast away his people? God forbid. God hath not cast away his people (the Jewish people) which he foreknew." He then speaks of their apostacy, and blindness, their stumbling, &c. and then again he asks, "Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid but rather through their fall, salvation is come to the Gentiles, for to provoke them (the Jews) to jealousy, (or emulation). Now, if the fall of them

be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them be the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?---For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches."—A statement full of important meaning.

After several other arguments, comparisons and inferences, the apostle thus proceeds: "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits." What is this mystery? He tells us "that blindness in part has happened to Israel." How long is this blindness to continue? He tells us, "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." It is in vain, then, to attempt the conversion of the Jews to the Christian faith, before this set period. All the societies that can be raised for the purpose, and all the exertions that can be made, must be in vain until this predicted event shall be fulfilled. The blindness of the Jews will still reinain, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." And so (continues the apostle) all Israel shall be saved." Ah, then the great gulf of separation will no longer intervene no longer remain.

But is this conversion and salvation of the Jews certain ?-and how will it be effected? Yes; it is as sure as the eternal purpose and veracity of God can make it; and the apostle tells us how it will be accomplished: "As it is written, (says he) there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." And that we may fully rely upon it, he says," For this is my covenant unto them,