" and according to their doings, I judged them. "And, when they entered among the heathen "whither they went, they profaned my holy name, "when they said to them, These are the people "of JEHOVAH, and are gone forth out of their "land." 1 P. 109. 1. 11. They preached wonderful ser'mons,' &c. The wonderful sermons,' which will be made effectually successful in the conversion of the gentiles, have not yet been preached by dispersed Israel. We, however, confidently expect that they will be ere long; and that their conversion to their long rejected Messiah, accomplishing, after so astonishing a manner, the prophecies of scripture respecting the nation, will be "as life from the dead," to the world at large.But the 'wonderful sermons' here intended, are of a widely different nature. "Fifteen hundred of "them took knives, and stabbed their wives and "children, &c." (L. 18, 19.) Was this done according to the law of God, or directly contrary to it? Was it not atrocious murder, rebellion, and desperation? Was it suited to convince the persecutors, that they, the Jews, were the truc "people of God?" Was it not calculated to fill them with abhorrence of both them and their religion? Let any man compare it with the mild, dignified, and firm conduct of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, when the fiery furnace was before their eyes or with that of Daniel, in the prospect of the lions' den: or with that of Jeremiah in the 1 Ez. xxxvi. 19-21. ix. 6-9. Jer. xl. 1-3. See also Deut. xxix. 22-28. 1 Kings hands of his persecutors:1 or even with that of the Maccabees, under the cruel persecutions of Antiochus: and let him ask himself, Which was more consonant to the command of God, or suited to produce a favourable impression on the beholders? The conduct of the wretched Jews was indeed a fulfilment of the words of Moses: "Thou "shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes, which "thou shalt see."2-I do not mean to palliate the conduct of those detestable wretches who drove the poor Jews to this madness and desperation.3 It was hateful beyond expression. P. 109. 1. 26. They must have a good reason,' &c. Can any man have a good reason for committing the most atrocious complicated murder of the nearest relatives, and closing the horrid scene with suicide? The persecuted saints, from Abel to the close of the Old Testament, neither murdered themselves nor others; but meekly and patiently adhered to the Lord; leaving to their persecutors exclusively the guilt of the murders committed by them. If the Jews never preach other sermons than these 'shocking sermons,' no good effect on the nations will follow but, when they become the lowly disciples of him, "who was led as a lamb to the "slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers "was dumb;" he will teach them other lessons, and they will preach far other sermons. Then indeed, "the remnant of Jacob shall be in the "midst of many people, as the dew from the Lord, as the showers on the grass, that tarrieth not for 'Dan. iii. 16-18. vi. 10-23. Jer. xxvi. 12-15. 2 Deut. xxviii. 32-34. 3 Ec. vii. 7.. "man, nor waiteth for the sons of men." 1 Then also the prophecy of Zechariah, will receive a far more full accomplishment, than it has hitherto done. 2 (P. 110. 1. 11-18.) P. 111. 1. 4. 'Christians boast very much about 'this new law.'-It may be confidently said, that, if any called Christians do indeed thus boast very much of a new law, they know little or nothing of the real nature of Christianity; as both their boasting, and their language about a new law, shew, We desire to induce Israel to look unto Him, "who is the end of the law for righteousness "unto every one that believeth." P. 111. 1. 6. Their new law permits them,' &c. Certainly no law of God warrants Christians to murder Jews; any more than any law of God warranted the fifteen hundred Jews to murder their wives and children and themselves. So far from it, that Christianity requires us to do all the good in our power, even to the Jew who would persecute and destroy us, if such there now be. 6 P. 111. 1. 22. Perhaps,' &c.-They who have murdered or injured the Jews will, unless truly penitent, suffer condign punishment. We, indeed, who have never personally, either committed this atrocious crime, or approved it in others, cannot repay the blood of Israel:' but we would "do "what we can:" and we desire, by way of compensation of past injuries from men called Christians, to treat Israel with all candour, benevolence, and compassion; and to pay some little of the immense debt which we acknowledge ourselves to 1 Mic. v. 7. 2 Zech. viii. 20-23. owe to their progenitors, through whom we enjoy all our invaluable blessings. This exclusively is the object of the London Society. P. 111. 1. 25. A way,' &c.-It must also be allowed, that immense injustice has been done to the Jews by slanders and false accusations, which, in many cases, are as pernicious and oruel as more direct murder: but it would be well if the Jews would endeavour to refute these by a strict adherence to equity, truth, and mercy. However guilty their revilers, I fear the epithet innocent does not belong to the Jews: and I would simply ask, has nothing in the conduct of the Jews given even plausibility to these calumnies? I do not ask this, to excuse, in any degree the calumniators; but to suggest an useful hint to the calumniated. -We ought not to speak to the injury of others, even what we know to be true, unless we have some good reason for doing it. P. 112. 1. 10. The title of Israel.'-The word title is not scriptural, nor does the import of it clearly appear but I suppose it means the right and title to temporal dominion over the nations. The texts, however, afterwards adduced, (p. 112— 114,) speak nothing concerning this right or title; but merely state, that God will no more disannul or violate his covenant with Israel, than he will terminate or alter the ordinances of the sun and moon. P. 112. I. 12. 'No Israel, no world.'-It is both scriptural and reasonable to maintain, that all things in creation and providence have been so ordered and constituted, as to forward the eternal good of all the spiritual worshippers and holy ser vants of God; in subserviency to the display of his glorious perfections, and the interests of true religion. But that all things, relating to the immense multitudes of those who have hitherto inhabited, or shall hereafter inhabit, this globe, without any distinction of character and conduct, should be as nothing in the view of their common Creator, except as the temporal aggrandiscment of one small nation, often most wicked, rebellious, and ungrateful is concerned: this is wholly unscriptural and unreasonable, nay even monstrous ! P. 112. 1. 28. Israel, who observes the covenant,' &c.-But what becomes of that very large part of Israel which does not observe the covenant of God?" Which my covenant they "brake." They have transgressed the laws, "changed the ordinances, broken the everlasting "covenant."2 This is the very thing on which we insist." Truly God is good to Israel, even to "such as are of a clean heart." 3 We consider none of the descendents of Abraham as a part of the true Israel, except those who inherit his obedient faith and we believe the promises to be made to them exclusively, and not to include all those who, from age to age, have lived and died unbelieving, disobedient, impenitent, unconverted rebels and enemies. It is true that, taught by the New Testament, we consider the nation of Israel as a kind of type of the true Israel; namely of all, whether of the race of Israel or of gentile extraction, who are the believing, obedient, and spiritual 11 Cor. iii. 21-23. 2 Cor. iv. 15. Ps. lxxiii. 1. 2 Is. xxiv. 5. |