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page 28 of your Letter to the English Ifraelite, as a REPROACH, and an unfounded reproach too, against the Jewish nation; and I felect this reproach to be first noticed, because it has fallen to my lot to produce what appears to me to be uncontrovertible evidence, that it never entered into the heart of the amiable Deborah to reproach the Jewish nation.

I am happy that you admit, in page 32, that there is one expreffion in my letter to the English Ifraelite that does not offend you, but you refer to it; it is in these words, in page 18 of the English Ifraclite's obfervations, "The time may come when Christians in "general, and even the Miffionary Society, may be"come convinced that it is JEHOVAH OF HOSTS, the "God of Ifrael alone, who can effect any alteration "in Ifrael, his people, and therefore defift from their ❝ vain attempts."

In page 32 you fay, "If it be true that JEHOVAH "OF HOSTS alone can effect any alteration in Ifrael, "his people, does not the fame JEHOVAH Work by " means? If Mr. Witherby be a Chriftian, does not "faith come by hearing, and hearing by the word of "God?" Rom. x. 17.

It is therefore only as to the MEANS that we differ: "faith does come by hearing," and hearing by the "word of God;" but it is alfo true that "the "hearing ear and the feeing eye, the Lord hath made " even both of them," Prov. XX. 12. He is an abfolute and uncontrollable fovereign; he giveth wHAT it pleases him to give, WHEN he pleases and To WHOм he pleases; "he doeth according to his will

in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants " of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say "unto him, What doest thou ?" Dan. iv. 35. He is the fame merciful and gracious God when he withholds from giving as when he giveth; and the Miffionary and London Societies would, in my opinion, do well to inquire, whether the unadvised measures they have pursued towards the Jewish nation, hath not refulted from want of that deep-rooted fubmiffion, and hearthumbling refignation to the fovereign will of God, which is to be derived from faith in his most holy word, which reprefents his creatures as the clay in his hands: "O houfe of Ifrael, cannot I do with you as "this potter? faith JEHOVAH. Behold, as the clay " is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O "houfe of Ifrael." Jere. xviii. 6. It is not only the Jewish nation that is thus in his hand, we and all his creatures are also in his gracious and merciful hand; in his gracious and merciful hand, who is our heavenly Father, who maketh his fun to rife on the evil and on the good, and fendeth rain on the juft and on the unjuft, Matt. v. 45. Unlimited fubmiffion, hearthumbling refignation to the divine will in all things is no more than is required of us. Eli, when he received those heavy tidings concerning his houfe, bowed down his aged head and faid, " It is JEHOVAH: let "him do what feemeth him good," 1 Sam. iii. 18. and David, the king, in like manner faid unto Gad, "I am in a great ftrait: let me fall now into the "hand of JEHOVAH; for great are his mercies: but

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"Tet me not fall into the hand of man." 1 Chron. xxi. 13. In proportion as we are enabled to fee the juftice and righteoufnefs, mercy and goodness, of all his ways to man, in like proportion is this refignation to the divine will not only attainable, but the fource of unfpeakable comfort to the foul. The apoftle Paul, the great apoftle of the Gentiles, declares that, "There are diverfities of GIFTS, but the famè fpirit. "And there are differences of ADMINISTRA"TIONS, but the fame Lord. And there are di"verfities of OPERATIONS, but it is the fame God which worketh all in all." 1 Cor. xii. 4-6. And when in the 9th, 10th, and 11th chapters of his Epiftle to the Romans he enters into argument as to the Jewish nation, and comes to the result, viz:-The fovereign will of God to fhew MERCY unto ALL, his foul then breaks forth in this rapture, "O the depth of "the riches both of the wifdom and knowledge of "God! how unfearchable are his judgments, and his "ways paft finding out! For who hath known the "mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counfel"lor? or who hath firft given unto him, and it fhall "be recompenfed unto him again? For of him, and "through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be "glory for ever. Amen." Rom. xi. 32-36. Well, therefore, may we rejoice in fubmiffion to the will of the Great Creator of heaven and earth, the God of Ifrael, even JEHOVAH, who is gracious and full of COM"PASSION, flow to anger and of great mercy;" who " is good to ALL, and his tender mercies over ALL

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his works." Pf. cxlv. 8, 9. "We, and all our "brethren of mankind are as the clay in thy gracious "hand! do with us what feemeth thee good, for thou ❝art good, and thy mercy endureth for ever."

Faith, as you juftly obferve, comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. I rejoice to quote your own words, where I can do it with approbation; and though I differ from you and the London Society, as to their concerning themselves with the Jewish traditions, yet the following words, which I quote from page 22 of your letter, I cannot too ftrongly commend; speaking of the Jewish traditions you fay, "I "am aware that they contain alfo many excellent ❝truths, and, like the commentaries of Chriftians,

and the writings of men of all ages, are entitled to "refpect, fo far as they are confiftent with the Scrip"tures." I will ftand by and confirm this your affertion, by God's grace, to the very extent of my ability. As to religious fubjects, the writings of men are entitled to respect, as far as they are confiftent with the SCRIPTURES, and NO FURTHER. You will pardon my observing, that in this refpect there was no occafion for the London Society to turn their backs upon their own libraries, and to ranfack the libraries of the Jews; if they had felt difpofed to exert their powers against traditions or opinions which have been published in direct contradiction to the Scriptures, as well of the New as of the Old Teftament, there was ample room for their exertions, if they were ever fo numerous; but where would have

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been the use of such exertions, is it not far better to let them reft, and be forgotten? If they are not the opinions of the prefent generation, why fhould we concern ourselves about them? and if there are opinions in like manner to be found in the Jewish libraries, which are not now the opinions of the Jews, why should they be disturbed?

I do not request any attention from yourself, or from the Miffionary or London Societies, any further or otherwise than I fhall be enabled to prove that they have acted in oppofition to the plain path pointed out in God's most holy word; and I conceive that where any party of Chriftians do act as the Miffionary and London Society have done in this matter, every Christian Englishman hath an undoubted right, by the laws of his country, to endeavour to fhew them their mistake, or to endeavour to convince thofe who are DISTURBED BY THEM, that there are thofe called Chriftians that do not approve of their proceedings,

That the Jewish nation considered themselves as improperly treated by the Miffionary Society, I need only quote the Evangelical Magazine. The following words are extracted from the Evangelical Maga, zine for April 1807.

"THE JEWS.

"The Jews in London have expreffed their deter"mination to oppofe the attempt lately made by "the Miffionary Society for the instruction of the Jewish Children in the propofed Free School.

66

"The

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