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execute his commands, so it will be in vain that the design of benefiting the Jewish people was ever conceived in the mind of the king, or that his edict respecting them was ever issued, if his subjects do not put forth their energies in obedience to his call. In truth, a backwardness to co-operate with him in this blessed work would seem like a reflection cast upon him, as recommending a measure that was unworthy of attention. I do not mean to insinuate that such an idea really exists in the minds of any; for I am perfectly convinced it does not: but certainly in appearance it is open to this construction; and every subject of the empire is concerned to act in such a way, as to cut off all occasion for a reflection like this. I say, loyalty alone, even if we had no higher motive, should be sufficient to call forth our exertions in this cause.

But let me next observe, that gratitude to the Jewish nation demands it at our hands. How great, how manifold are our obligations to them! Behold Moses and the prophets, what instruction have they given us, in reference to the way of life and salvation! Without the moral law, as revealed by Moses, we should never have known to what an extent we need a Saviour; nor, if the prophecies had not so fully designated the promised Messiah, could we have ever so fully known that Jesus was the Christ. Of whom did the Lord Jesus Christ himself come as pertaining to the flesh, but from the loins of David, and of the seed of Abraham? Yet to him are we indebted for all that we either have, or hope for, in time or in eternity. And who were the Apostles, but Jews, who for our sakes went forth preaching the word, and counted not their lives dear to them, so that they might but lead us to the knowledge of Christ, and make us partakers of his salvation? From them too we have received the lively oracles, which are the one source of all spiritual knowledge, and the one foundation of all our hopes. Does all this call for no recompence at our hands? Knowing as we do the vast importance of education, should

we not endeavour to impart it to those from whose ancestors we have received such innumerable, such inestimable benefits? Yet behold, these are the people whom for many, many centuries, we have treated with more neglect and contempt than any other people upon the face of the earth: the savages of the most distant climes have received more attention from us than they. Surely it is high time that the Christian world awake to a sense of their duty, and begin to shew to the Jews somewhat of that love, which their forefathers exercised towards us in our Gentile state. We are debtors to them to a vast amount, and it is high time that we begin to discharge our debt. And how can we discharge it better, than by enabling them to read and understand those very oracles, which they have preserved with such fidelity, and which testify so fully of their promised Messiah?

Further: A love to the rising generation should lead us to avail ourselves of the present opportunity to promote their welfare.--It is truly afflictive to see how low and degraded is the state of multitudes, especially of the Jewish nation, purely through the neglect with which they are treated in their early youth and still more grievous is it to reflect on their ignorance of those things which belong to their everlasting peace. To counteract this, we should endeavour to qualify the whole of their population for good and useful employments; and, through the medium of useful instruction, to make them holy, and to make them happy. We need never be afraid that there will not be a sufficient number of poor to fill the lower stations: do what we will, there will never be wanting persons, who, through their own fault or misfortunes, are necessitated to undertake the lowest offices of life. And, if they have been previously instructed in the Scriptures of Truth, they will have a fund of consolation ever open to them in their deepest afflictions; they will learn from the inspired volume, in whatsoever state they are, therewith to be content; and in the prospect of the eternal

world, they will find joys with which a stranger intermeddleth not, and which the world can neither give nor take away. We feel the force of these considerations in reference to the poor of our own communion: how is it that we feel it not in reference to our Jewish Brethren? This is a partiality unworthy of us; and we should rise as one man to wipe off this disgrace from our own character.

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This brings me to the last consideration which I propose to mention; namely, that a concern for the honour of our holy religion should operate to unite us all in executing the Royal Edict.-What must a Jew think of our religion, when he sees how little it has wrought for us in the production of love? We may tell him of a Messiah, who has loved us, and laid down his life for us: but what credit will he give us for our principles, when he sees how little our practice corresponds with them! May he not well say to us, Physician, heal thyself?" Shew by your conduct the superiority of your principles, before you call on me to embrace them. It is by love that we must win them: it is by shewing kindness to them that we must efface from their hearts those prejudices which, with too much reason, they entertain against us. We must exhibit in our own person the loveliness of Christianity, before we can bring them to investigate the grounds of our faith, or to imagine that they can improve their own condition by embracing it. May I not then call upon you as Christians to unite in the good work that is now before you, that you may thereby serve and glorify your Lord and Saviour? As Christians, you believe that there is no other way to the Father but by Christ¤; and no other name but his, whereby any human being can be saved". Where is your piety, where is your love to Christ, where is even common humanity, if you will not avail yourselves of the present opportunity to remove from before your Jewish Brethren the stumbling-blocks, which for so many ages have been laid in their way?

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Do any ask, What shall we do? I answer, search out amongst the Jews some persons of probity and talent to commence schools among them; and do you yourselves aid to the utmost of your power in the support of them; provide them with all necessary books for instructing children in the first rudiments of knowledge; provide them with Bibles also, both in the Dutch and Hebrew languages, that they may be thoroughly instructed in the knowledge of their own religion, and learn to walk in the steps of their father Abraham, and of all the holy prophets.

Begin too, without loss of time, Adult Schools. You will find many among the house of Israel who will be glad to avail themselves of your instructions. Let those who are benevolent amongst you dedicate an hour in a day to the instructing of a few who may be desirous to learn; and carefully avoid every thing which may give unnecessary offence. Confine yourselves to the Old Testament, which they venerate, as well as you. Let those who can teach only in the Dutch language give instruction in that: and let those who either understand, or have leisure to attain, the Hebrew tongue, draw their attention to that. In particular, let it be the united endeavour of all to qualify masters for this good work.

And let it not be thought, that this is the duty of men only. The Royal Edict has particularly, and with great wisdom, recommended it to females, who may be of infinite service in conveying instruction to their own sex. This age is distinguished above all others for the activity of females in the service of God, and in the performance of every good work. Were I able to declare the proportion of good that is done in Britain by the female sex, it would appear incredible: I believe from my soul that it far exceeds one half in all the societies raised since the commencement of the present century, in the Bible Society, the Missionary Societies, and the Society for Promoting the Knowledge of Christianity amongst the Jews: yes, let the ladies of this country exert themselves, in a prudent, modest and discreet way,

and the effects will soon appear; the Royal Edict will not be a dead letter, but will produce incalculable good to the whole nation;-and the agents in this benevolent work will themselves receive quite as much benefit as they impart, their benevolence being, in proportion as it is exercised, its own reward.

CCCCIX.

JEHOSHAPHAT'S CONNEXION WITH AHAB REPROVED.

2 Chron. xix. 2. And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.

IT is happy when pious children rise up in the places of their parents, and, unmoved by the sufferings which their fathers have experienced, dare to tread in their steps with fidelity and zeal. Hanani, the father of Jehu, had been cast into prison for the faithful reproof which he administered to King Asaa: yet does Jehu give a similar reproof to Asa's son and successor, Jehoshaphat: and, as he was enabled to temper his reproof with seasonable commendation, he succeeded in convincing the monarch of his fault, and in stirring him up to a more becoming conduct.

The conduct here blamed, was, Jehoshaphat's uniting himself with Ahab against the king of Syria: but the terms in which the censure was conveyed, are of more general import, and may be applied to all alliances with the ungodly. We will endeavour therefore to improve them, by shewing,

I. What is that intimacy with the ungodly which God forbids

We are not to suppose that all connexion with them is forbidden; for then, as the Apostle says, "We must needs go out of the world," since the necessities of our nature constrain us to keep up

a 2 Chron. xvi. 7-10.

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