the evidence of ill-regulated moral affections-what to them is the effect of this exhibition? One of moral power, of religious motive, of holy incentive to daily, hourly perseverance in well-doing? Quite the contrary. Neither the expressions nor actions of the assembled thousands usually belie the miserable consequences to be expected from such unchristian spectacles. Property recklessly destroyed in scrambles for places to look on the fearful sight, drunkenness, debauchery of every description, obscenity, gasconade, riot, are the common accompaniment and practical commentary on the moral inefficacy of the sanguinary proceedings.

Of the thirty thousand spectators supposed to have been present at the late execution in Edinburgh, what proportion came there from desire of improvement, reverence of justice, abhorrence of the crime of bloodshedding, for which the criminal suffered? Home and home's duties were neglected, deserted, that mothers might stand for hours in order to gape and gaze at length on the momentary death-struggle of a fellowbeing; the pitiable, fearful spectacle of the hangman's cord destroying life at the command of men, who did not, could not impart it, and whom the only Lord and Giver of life had not invested with the power of its destruction. Men and boys, and girls and women, gathered from closes, and dens, and cellars, and hovels of filthiness, to scent for an instant the air tainted by human blood, and then to return to wallow midst the misery, the physical and moral uncleanness, and idleness, and degradation, by which crimes are nurtured and perpetuated. Meantime, ignorance is as rife; poverty and wretchedness in all their squalidness continue; the hovels and haunts of idleness, drunkenness, and want are uncleansed; the pestilence of brutality, revenge, and vice walk even at noon-day; blood has been shed on the roadside and expiated on the scaffold, and the causes which led to the crime continue in unmitigated force to train up other victims of violated human law, till men-Christian men—the followers and disciples of that Saviour who came to seek and to save- -shall arouse themselves to a practical consciousness of their duties to man, to Jesus, and to God, and the sacred image of their

Maker shall cease to be marred and desecrated by the hangman's hands, or by the ignorance, demoralization, and ferocity, the lack of Christian principle and affection, which lead to their unhallowed employment.

ON THE FINAL RESTORATION AND HAPPY REINSTATEMENT OF THE JEWS IN PALESTINE.

AN enquiry relative to the restoration of the Jews and the whole Israelitish people, from their present dispersion among many other nations to their ancient country, and to the ample and lasting enjoyment of their privileges as the chosen people of God, extends itself into very interesting considerations concerning the affairs and prospects of the world at large. The future, indeed, is in general but very imperfectly disclosed to us. Even prophecy, as it relates to events yet future, may be compared to a light shining in a place generally dark, exhibiting but an indistinct view of most of the objects, while some of the stronger rays fall on the more prominent among them. Of these prominent objects, none, however, appear more conspicuous, in the ancient Hebrew prophecies, than those glorious events connected with the final restoration of the Hebrews from their present dispersed, and in many respects afflicted, persecuted, and degraded situation among other nations, and under governments with whom their principles have little accordance, to security, prosperity, and independence in their original land, and from a state of unbelief and rebellion against their Messiah, to a cordial submission to his rightful authority. It is true that some of the prophecies applying to that nation appear to have rather a general view to their different captivities and restorations, in consequence of their disobedience and returning obedience, and that some point out very distinctly the captivity of the ten tribes, and the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin respectively, with the return and reinstatement of the latter from Babylon, which was so distinctly fulfilled within the appointed time of seventy years; but the contents of many of those which may

have a more immediate reference to those events, show that their full accomplishment was reserved, first, for the far more lengthened and extensive captivity and dispersion, and the yet future restoration both of the two and the ten tribes from that dispersion, the former at least, through a large portion of the habitable world. See Jer. xxx.; also, Lev. xxvi.

Two leading particulars in those prophecies seem to determine their application to events yet future:-1st, That the Jews shall be brought out of all countries whither they had been dispersed, and dwell safely under a righteous branch of David,-a king who shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. (See Jer. xxiii. 5-8, and xxxiii. 15, 16.) And, 2d, That their restoration to the divine favour, and to happiness in their own country, constantly forms the concluding subject of the predictions respecting them; and, notwithstanding their last dispersion has already reached to a period of more than seventeen centuries, and been attended with countless calamities, the burden of prophecy is, that "Jehovah hideth his face from them for a little time, but will ultimately visit them with everlasting mercies." Isaiah liv. 7, 8, 9, 10, "For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith Jehovah thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills shall be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith Jehovah that hath mercy on thee." Ch. li. 22, "Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold I take out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury: thou shalt no more drink it again." And, verse 11, "The redeemed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain

gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away."

Now, so far are the Jews, as a nation to whom these promises (see ch. li. 2, 4) are addressed, from having experienced such a complete deliverance and perpetual safety, prosperity, and happiness, that the very reverse has been their allotment for many ages. An illustrious branch of the house of David has indeed appeared, and has held out to them the promise of salvation-of everlasting happiness-on the condition of their acknowledging and submitting to his mild and peaceful dominion; but as they rejected and cruelly destroyed him, their last most calamitous captivity and dispersion has been the consequence. In this condition they still remain,-the two tribes whom he immediately addressed continuing a distinct people, though everywhere dispersed, and maintaining that strict adherence to the unity of God and the Mosaic law, to which they have uniformly conformed since their restoration from their Babylonish captivity. Their situation is precisely the reverse of that which is constantly held forth to them in those ancient prophecies, which they continue to hold in the highest estimation, and on which they still rest their unshaken confidence of final deliverance, prosperity, and happiness, under an illustrious branch of the house of David, but whose person and true character they have hitherto failed to discover, and whose pretensions they have continued to deny, and have consequently remained in a state of exclusion from the promised mercy and favour.

Nevertheless, their present circumstances are not only most extraordinary in themselves, and a remarkable accomplishment of other distinct predictions,* but

* Particularly that of their Messiah himself, Matt. xxiii. 34-39, ending with the words, "Behold your house is left unto you desolate; for I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say, Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord." And Luke xxi. 24, 25, "They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled," -so strikingly accomplished by the successive despotisms of the Romans, Saracens, and Turks, while not a power assuming either the Jewish or Christian name, not

appear evidently preparatory to their return, conversion, and happiness, by means of the establishment, spread, and influence of the Messiah's kingdom. "They seem,' as was observed by Dr Hartley, "reserved by Providence for some such signal favour, after they have suffered the due chastisement." 66 While," as he adds, "they are to be found in all the countries of the known world, they have no inheritance in any country. Their possessions are chiefly money and jewels. They may, therefore, transport themselves with the greater ease to Palestine. They carry on a correspondence with each other throughout the whole world, and consequently must both know when circumstances favour their return, and be able to concert measures, one with another, concerning it. A great part of them speak and write the Rabbinical Hebrew, as well as that of the country where they reside. They are, therefore, as far as relates to themselves, actually possessed of a universal language and character, which is a circumstance that may facilitate their return beyond what can well be imagined."

As Christianity becomes purified from its corruptions, and the One God, and His Messiah, a man of the race of David, by the male as well as female descent, are distinctly known and acknowledged, there is reason to conclude that its advocates will set a juster estimate on the character and expectations of the Jews; venerating them as the faithful preservers of the Divine Unity, and as entertaining, in several respects, juster ideas concerning the Messiah and the blessings to be anticipated under his government, than the general body who bear the Christian name have done for many ages. While both parties have erred in different ways,-the Christian by overlooking much that really appertains to his office as the great "king of kings," and affecting to elevate him to an equality with the God from whom he received his great commission, and by whom he is actually elevated to immortal blessedness; and the Jew by mistaking his true character and the means of effect

withstanding their most strenuous efforts to secure its possession, have ever eventually succeeded.