Pacificus, with extraordinary signs of joy and delight, and perch upon his hand, and whilst he played with them they would not move until he dismissed them. When he went on a journey these same birds would accompany him to a good distance on his way and then return to their nests." Such legends as these Cardinal Wiseman has put forth in his Lives of the Saints to which I have alluded.

But I really must apologize for taking up so much of your time. I can only say that my subject is not exhausted, and that although I have been trying to take three chief points of resemblance-first of all, to show the spirit of Romanism and Rabbinism; secondly, the doctrines; and thirdly, the practices; where I brought two or three illustrations, I might have brought two or three dozen. There seems, then, I think you will agree with me, a most remarkable correspondence between the two systems; and I trust that you will come to the conclusion with me, that as our blessed Lord in his day denounced Rabbinism in that language which you find so faithfully recorded in St. Matthew; if He were now living upon earth He would with equal severity denounce Romanism ; Rabbinism being a caricature and perversion of the law, and Romanism a caricature and perversion of the Gospel. Let me repeat, that I trust we shall distinguish between the systems and the individuals who belong to them. And. whilst we do so, let us thank God for our Protestant privileges, and determine by the grace of God to hold fast by them; and whilst we pray God to have mercy upon all those who are out of the way, whether Jews or Romanists, let us show them by our lives a more excellent way; and though we determine to speak the truth whenever an occasion calls for it, let us always seek to speak it in love!

*For further information, see M'Caul's "Old Paths," Allen's "Modern Judaism," Foye's "Romish Rites," and Wylie's "Essay on the Papacy."

LECTURE II.*

THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE, OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.

BY THE REV. C. J. GOODHART, M.A.,

MINISTER OF PARK CHAPEL, CHELSEA.

MY DEAR CHRISTIAN FRIENDS,-I respond with the fullest warmth of heart to what our dear brother has so kindly said, and to the affection that he has manifested in what he has uttered towards myself. I have great delight in visiting his parish. It has not been my privilege to be here since I remember walking through a portion of it with him more than twelve months ago, when he had his heart so full of what he was about to do, and when I know that he was trusting in the Lord his God to help him in bearing that burden which, without faith, must have appeared fearfully overwhelming. I now see some of the fruits that have already arisen from his presence, and from the blessing of God upon his labours amongst you; and I am sure it is my heart's desire and prayer to God, that he may be blessed a thousand-fold during the time it may please God (and may it be a long one) to spare him. We do not forget him amongst his old flock, or in his old haunts; neither do we forget you. linked with him in our supplications to the throne of grace, because we deem that it is your salvation that he is earnestly, affectionately, and unweariedly seeking.

You are

But I must proceed at once to draw your attention to that which I have undertaken to speak to you about this evening. It is a subject of immense magnitude, as has been already said to you, and of the deepest importance,

*This lecture was delivered entirely extempore, and it has only been in the author's power to make a few verbal corrections.

and the most thrilling interest; and that, because God has been pleased to stamp the Jewish people with most special interest in his Word. It is an interest which, with whatever indifference man may view it, they can never lose; God has taken care of that; and for ever will they bear this interest in the eyes of his people, because they are bound up with the glory of his character in redemption and in salvation. Let me notice in passing, that this subject puts me in mind of a traveller who should be exploring a country, the advantages of which he derived according to the state of his own constitution. Suppose that I was travelling through a country, the atmosphere and climate of which were wholesome or injurious according to the state of my constitution at the time, and that it depended upon myself as to the results upon me. Now that is precisely the case with the Jewish subject. If you come to it with a right frame of mind, you gather from it unspeakable blessings; if you contemplate it in the light of God's Word, and really search after truth, you cannot set any limit to the advantages that are to be derived from its contemplation. "I will bless them that bless thee," is a promise that stands out in the Word of God, and He will fulfil it; and if we come to Him looking for that blessing, we shall find it. If our state of mind is such, that we can in faith lay hold of God's promises, believe his truth, and recognise his purposes in the Jewish people, we shall find abundant blessing and advantage. If we come with an unbelieving heart, not realizing God's power, and faithfulness, and truth, in all that He is doing with the Jewish people, we shall have our souls deadened and condemned in dealing with the subject. Therefore, at the outset it becomes us earnestly to seek, that we may be in that state of mind through which we may be enabled to gather up all the blessings with which such a subject as this actually runs over; remembering that as you come to the subject, it will either profit you by the mercies it reveals and bestows, or will do you damage by the condemnation which it threatens, and by the curse which it brings upon those who despise God's Word. In fact, no one has ever come in contact with God's people without being thereby advanced in the life of God and in the scale of blessing, or sunk deeper in misery, and in condemnation, and in

darkness. May we then approach the subject with a sense of its importance, and of its serious character; and may the Lord answer the prayers and desires that have been expressed, in giving us an abundant blessing, that my heart and yours may rejoice and be glad.

The subject that is before us is, "The Past, the Present, and the Future, of the House of Israel." It seems specially in accordance with the character of the times. We are seeing crowded into a short time events which previously it would not have been possible to conceive should be so limited. This subject might well occupy from a dozen to twenty lectures; and yet I have to treat of it in the compass of one short hour; I am sure, therefore, that you will bear with me if I fail to do it justice, though I will do what I can to bring out the principal points for your consideration.

I. Now, with regard to the past of the house of Israel. The people have been a remarkable people; and we will look at one or two features which seem to stand out in their history.

First of all, then, they are a people of election; they are remarkable as having been distinctly chosen by God. You remember that he called Abraham, and said unto him, "Get thee out of thy country, into a land that I will tell thee." He chose Abraham, and made him the head of a peculiar and special people; he chose them out of all people, and all nations, that they might be a people unto himself; he set a stamp upon them that was never to be erased; he selected them with a love and determination that were unalterable. This is a striking feature in their past history. And along with that, God made them a people of singular promise. He not merely selected them, but gave them an inheritance. It is true that that inheritance was, in the first instance, his Word; but then the Word of the living God is worth everything; if he says, it shall be done; if he gives a promise, it shall stand fast for ever. And to him who knows the character of that God, young or old, the Word of the Lord is a mine of wealth that cannot be exhausted; it is the certainty of an inheritance that cannot be lost or forfeited. Therefore, when the Lord made them the special objects and

D

great compassion for us when he heard the distance we travelled. He strongly advised us to eat the butter ourselves, and return home.

"We proceeded on the morning of the third day, to perform the station, a distance of six miles; and during that way the road was crowded with people from all parts of Ireland, going and coming from this lake. When we arrived at the lake, which is in a little bay, there were a great many tents erected there, selling whisky, every one filled with people; some drunk, some singing Irish songs, and others dancing. There was not a spot but there was a woman having a jar, selling spirits. At these tents we had to take off hat, shoes, and stockings, and travel about fifty yards on our bare knees, through mud and dirt. When we arrived at a place where there were seven little green hillocks, we went round them seven times, repeating one Pater, fifteen Ave Marias, and a Creed. At another little monument we had to undergo the same task, and pay the priest's clerk a penny; then proceed into the lake, where we were up to our waist in water; turn round to the right three times, in the name of God and the holy St. Keerane; throw out the butter into the lake as far as we could, in the name of the cows, —we had to throw the spancel in another direction, and pick up a strange spancel to carry home. We then went to another dirty pool to wash our feet; we took a little bottle of the water, to give to drink to the cows at home, and a small stone out of the pool to be kept safe in remembrance.

"All this being done, we had again to pay the clerk twopence."

Now, that is only one of numerous things I might read, respecting the system of charms. We know, that at the time of the famine in Ireland, when the potatoes were rotten, the people obtained what they thought a charm, to keep away the rot; which charm was, of course, ineffectual. I remember meeting with an Irish girl, who was a servant; and she told me she had a charm about her which was a cure for the toothache; and I believe firmly that many of the Romanists carry about them such charms as these; because here are things which are to be