represents " the fulness of the Jews as being the riches of the Gentiles"1." It is the commencement, and not the completion, of the in-gathering of the Gentiles, that marks the season for the conversion of the Jews : and therefore the stir which there is at this moment amongst the Gentile world, is, amongst other signs of the times, a proof, that the time for the conversion of the Jews is near at hand. Away then with all desponding fears ; and to every ob- struction that presents itself in your way, say, " Who art thou, O great mountain ? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain"."
Let me next address myself,
2. To those who desire to be accomplishing this great work.
You will reasonably ask, What shall we do in order to advance this blessed cause ? To this I an- swer, Be much in prayer to God for them. Were the Christian world more earnest in prayer to God for the restoration and salvation of his people, I feel no doubt but that God would arise and have mercy upon Zion, and that a great work would speedily be wrought among them. When the angel interceded for Jerusalem, saying, " O Lord God, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem?" Jehovah, we are told, answered him with good and comfortable words0. And, if a spirit of intercession for them prevailed amongst us, God would answer, not by good and comfortable words only, but by great and powerful acts, even by the displays of his pardoning grace, and the manifestations of his long-suspended love. United prayer brought Peter out of his prison : and united prayer would bring the Jews also out of their graves ; and they should arise before us " an exceeding great army."
Still however, as human means also are to be used, I would say, Form yourselves into societies and asso- ciations for the advancement of this work. Much may be done by united and systematic exertion, which
m Rom. xi. 12. n Zech. iv. 6, 7. ° Zech. i. 12, 13.