the Lord their God, and David their king, and fhall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days. We have now exhibited a fummary view of the prophecies of the Old Teftament more immediately relative to the prefent state and condition of the Jews: and what ftronger and more convincing arguments can you require of the truth both of the Jewish and of the Chriftian religion? The Jews were once the peculiar people of God: and as St. Paul saith, (Rom. XI. 1.) Hath God caft away his people? God forbid. We fee that after so many ages they are still preserved by a miracle of providence a distinct people; and why is fuch a continual miracle exerted, but for the greater illuftration of the divine truth, and the better accomplishment of the divine promises, as well those which are yet to be, as those which are already fulfilled? We fee that the great empires, which in their turns fubdued and oppreffed the people of God, are all come to ruin; because tho' they executed the purposes of God, yet that was more than they understood; all that they intended was to fatiate their own pride and ambition, their own cruelty and revenge. And if fuch hath been the fatal end of the enemies and oppreffors of the Jews, let it ferve as a VOL. I. warning R warning to all thofe, who at any time or upon any occafion are for raifing a clamor and perfecution against them. They are blameable no doubt for perfifting in their infidelity after fo many means of conviction; but that is no war rant or authority for us to profcribe, to abuse, injure, and opprefs them, as Chriftians of more zeal than either knowlege or charity have in all ages been too apt to do. Charity is greater than faith: and it is worfe in us to be cruel and uncharitable, than it is in them to be ob ftinate and unbelieving. Perfecution is the fpirit of popery, and in the worst of popish countries the Jews are the most cruelly used and perfecuted the spirit of proteftantism is toleration and indulgence to weaker confciences. Compaffion to this unhappy people is not to defeat the prophecies; for only wicked nations were to harrass and opprefs them, the good were to show mercy to them; and we should choose rather to be the difpenfers of God's mercies than the executioners of his judgments. Read the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, and fee what the great apoftle of the Gentiles, who certainly understood the prophecies better than any of us can pretend to do, faith of the infidelity of the Jews. Some of the Gentiles of his time valued themfelves upon their fupe 1 rior advantages, and he reproves them for it, that they who were cut out of the olive-tree which is wild by nature, and were graffed contrary to nature into a good olive-tree, fhould prefume to boaft against the natural branches: (ver. 24, 18) but what would he have faid, how would he have flamed and lightened, if they had made religion an instrument of faction, and had been for stirring up a perfecution against them? We fhould confider, that to them we owe the oracles of God, the fcriptures of the New Tef tament as well as the Old; we fhould confider, that the glorious company of the apostles as well as the goodly fellowship of the prophets were Jews; we fhould confider, that of them as concerning the fefb Chrift came, the Saviour of the world: and furely fomething of kindness and gratitude is due for fuch infinite obligations. Tho' they are now broken off, yet they are not utterly caft away. Because of unbelief, as St. Paul argues, (ver. 20.) they were broken off, and thou Standeft by faith; Be not high-minded, but fear. There will be a time, when they will be graffed in again, and again become the people of God; for as the apoftle proceeds, (ver. 25, 26.) I would not brethren that ye fhould be ignorant of this mystery (left ye fhould be wife in your own conceits) that blindness in part is happened to Ifrael, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in; and fo all Ifrael fhall be faved, And which (think ye) is the most likely method to contribute to their converfion, which are the most natural means of reconciling them to us and our religion, prayer, argument, long-fuffering, gentleness, goodness; or noife and invective, injury and outrage, the malice of fome, and the folly and madness of more? They cannot be worse than when they crucified the Son of God, and perfecuted his apostles: but what faith our Saviour? (Luke XXIII. 34.) Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do what faith his apostle St. Paul? (Rom. X. 1.) Brethren, my heart's defire and prayer to God for Ifrael is, that they might be faved. In conformity to these bleffed examples our church hath also taught us to pray for them: and how can prayer and perfecution confift and agree together? They are only pretended friends to the church, but real enemies to religion, who encourage perfecution of any kind. All true fons of the church, all true proteftants, all true chriftians will, as the apostle adviseth, (Eph. IV. 31.) put away all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil Speaking, with all malice; and will join heart and voice in that excellent collect-Have mercy upon all Jews, Turks, infidels, and heretics, and |