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that there are but few whofe confciences, if they were awakened, as to INVECTIVE, would not find fuch a relaxation in the finews that the ftone would drop harmless from the hand. I have good hope that a far better spirit is the prevailing spirit of the prefent times; and that inftead of a difpofition to retort invective, the difpofition of Chriftians, of all denominations, is ftrongly tending to love and forbearance towards each other.

Notwithstanding I thus exprefs myself, let me not be confidered as afferting, that no caufe can be given for anger; in proportion to the cause given for anger, in like proportion is anger juftifiable, or at least excufable. The Rev. Anfelm Bayly, as every other Christian, had just cause of anger against Mr. David Levi, for being deluded by Dr. Prieftley into a controversy, wherein he was fo far engaged, in the heat of debate, as to forget the terms on which his nation were permitted to return to our shores; to forget the fituation in which he ftood protected and cherished under the mild laws of a Proteftant nation. Ignorant of our laws he broke them: ignorance of our laws cannot be pleaded in bar of punishment; he offended, and might have been punished. I am truly glad that he was not, but there was JUST CAUSE OF ANGER, though unhappily the Rev. Anfelm Bayly fhewed it in rather an awkward manner, by threatening to tear poor Mr. David Levi and his Sacra Lingua to pieces. As you have not the fame caufe for anger, you do not express it in quite fuch tremendous language; you do not threaten to tear the English Ifraelite and

his obfervations to pieces, but you use as unkind words to him as any he hath used towards your Society, or any connected with it. I was about to notice the inftances in which I think you have done fo, and to prove that for every hard word he uses towards the London Society, or those connected with it, that you are even with him, and use as hard, if not harder, words towards him; nay, I will confefs that I was not only about to do this, but that I had actually done it; but I have ftruck it out: I would wish to confign the evil resulting from these rash meafures to oblivion.

I will look to and truft in him who over-ruleth all things, according to his fovereign good pleasure, that the incivility and unkindness that has refulted from what I conceive to have been the unadvised, rash, and unauthorised proceedings of the Miffionary and London Society towards the Jews, will be removed; and that he will fo over-rule all things by his almighty power and unbounded goodnefs, that good may be extracted out of this evil, and that light and love, respect and good wishes for each other's prosperity, may fucceed this most unhappy contention, fhould it please him whom my foul loveth!" Yea Lord, "thou knoweft all things; thou knoweft that I love "thee," John xxi. 17. Should it please him to blefs my feeble efforts, I would rejoice even if all the ill-confequences refulting from these rash and unadvised proceedings towards the Jews were to fall on my devoted head; if that were to be the cafe, they would be as it were harmless; for what matters any

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event which might affect an obfcure individual; what matters any thing which might affect fuch a one, in comparison of a nation whom the Great Creator of heaven and earth, the God of Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob, has declared to be his fon, even his firstborn. "Thou fhalt fay unto Pharaoh, Thus faith JEHOVAH, Ifrael is my son, even my FIRST66 BORN: and I fay unto thee, Let my son Go, that "he may ferve me: and if thou refufe to let him "co, behold, I will flay thy fon, even thy firft"born," Exod. iv. 22, 23. O ceafe to meddle with the ark of the Great Creator of heaven and earth, the God of Ifrael! Remember, O remember Uzza! (1 Chron. xiii. 9.) What was it that rendered the ark of JEHOVAH fo peculiarly facred, that it was not, even with intent to fupport it, to be touched with hafte or irreverence? What was it that rendered the ark of JEHOVAH fo peculiarly facred, that it was not to be irreverently looked into or gazed on? 1 Sam. vi. 19. It was because it contained THE LAW OF JEHOVAH, God of Ifrael, the Great Creator of heaven and earth! And well might the men of Bethfhemeth, after fifty thousand and threefcore and ten men had been confumed from among them, on account of this trefpafs, well might they fay, "Who is "able to ftand before this holy Lord God? v. 20. **

Even the apostle of the Gentiles acknowledges that to the JEWISH NATION, the CIRCUMCISION; even the apoftle of the Gentiles acknowledges that, "unto "them were committed the ORACLES OF GOD," Rom. iii. 2.-If they are then ordained to this high

office,

office, it is the duty, it is the intereft of us, who are of the Gentile nations, to treat them with respect. If there is a maxim founded in found difcretion, and found discretion and found policy will ever be found infeparably united, it is this, that the Gentile nations fhould BEWARE HOW THEY MEDDLE WITH THE JEWS; for thus faith the MOST HIGH: “ JEHOVAH'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of "his inheritance," which he keeps "AS THE APPLE "OF HIS EYE," Deut. xxxii. 9, 10. "He that "TOUCHETH you, toucheth the apple of his eye," Zech. ii. 8.

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I have now read the tract entitled, "Deborah to "the remnant of Ifrael;" and if you compare the prayer for Ifrael, with which fhe concludes it, with the extract from the letters which I have quoted, you will, I think, be under no doubt as to that which I have, from your defcription of her, inferred; that the fame pen hath been employed in the paffages I have quoted, and in the tract; the fame love to the Jewish nation appears in them both, and I am confident that I fhall not offend her by observing, that inasmuch as in our church we do not confider even the most learned archbishop or bifhop, or even all the archbishops and bifhops, when affembled together, as poffeffed of infallibility; I must be compelled to differ from her, as to the MEANS whereby we are to fhew our love to the Jewish nation. I trust I have more civility than to defire to enter into any controversy with a lady whom I so greatly respect,

and

and firmly believe to be, from the very bottom of her foul, the friend of the Jewish nation, however different our opinions may be as to the MEANS whereby we are to teftify this difpofition. The main point urged in her tract concerning the impoffibility of any ATONEMENT being now made, according to the Jewish law at Jerufalem, for the Jewish nation, is, if I mistake not, an argument of Leflie's, and I will not stop in this place to confider it; let me again thank you for the defcription you give of Deborah, as I hope, by God's bleffing, it will tend to remove from the minds of the Jews thofe fenfations they MUST now feel, as to the interference of the London Society with their concerns. If they could be convinced that there are members of the London Society who would really and actually lay down their lives for the Jewish nation, if thereby they could render them any service; and I muft profefs, that when I received her letter, fo long ago, I did really believe, and do now believe, that fhe expreffed the real feelings of her heart, furely it would tend to heal that grievous wound that hath been given them by the INDISCREET ZEAL of those who have harboured fuch ardent love towards them. If they were to be convinced that the very offenfive MEANS the Miffionary and London Society have reforted to, have proceeded merely from an error of the HEAD, and not from any intention in the HEARTS of thefe zealous men to injure them; I am moft grievously out in jectures, concerning the true character of the Jews among us, if the cause of offence being removed, all

my con

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