Third, all nations will then be converted to the faith of Ifrael; as mentioned verse

17th, “And all nations fhall refort to it in the name of the LORD." This agrees with the twelfth principle of the prophecies of

Ifaiah.

Fourth, the redemption and falvation of both Ifrael and Judah; as in verse 18th, and which agrees with the third and fourth principles of Ifaiah. These principles, it is manifeft have never been fulfilled, not at their return from Babylon: and much less in the time of Jefus though Dr. Blaney observes on the expreffion*, "And I will take you one out of a city, &c, "This undoubtedly relates to their call into the Chriftian Church, into which they were brought, not all at a time, nor in a national capacity, but severally as individuals, here and there one.' And in support of this opinion, he cites Ifai. xxvii, "And ye shall be gathered one by one, fons of Ifrael." This, may perhaps be what the Authors of the new and metrical Translations, may call found criticism; but I am fure, it is not truth: it is not dealing fairly by the word of God, thus to torture and *Notes on Jerm. iii. 14.

12.

O

ye

VOL. II.

e

wreft

wreft it from its true fenfe and meaning, in order to fupport a certain fyftem; and to which, every thing is rendered fubfervient, without any regard had as to its relation to the subject; as is clearly the cafe at present. For in the first place, let us inquire, who thofe Jews were that embraced Christianity; as also at what time, where, and when? If the Dr. means the time of Jefus, or the first preaching of the Gofpel, I muft tell him as I have told Dr. Priestley*, That Jefus made but few converts, and those chiefly from among the lower clafs of the nation. And is it to fuch as thefe, a few of the fcum and refuse of the nation, that the words of the Prophet can apply? Is it to these that the Prophet fays, I will take you one out of a city, and two out of a family, and bring you to Zion; where they are to have rulers according to God's own heart, &c. They are alfo to multiply, &c. They are not to return to fin any more: and laftly, the whole house of Judah is to walk with the house of Ifrael; they are to come together from the north country, to inherit the land; this furely

* Letters to Dr. Priestley, in anfwer to his Letters to the Jews, part Ild. p. 79.

means

:

means their restoration in a national capacity; and which the Dr. acknowledges must literally be accomplished in due time: it therefore, is demonftrable that, this prophecy, can by no means apply to thofe few that apoftatized at the time of Jefus, or the first preaching of the Gofpel. And with still lefs propriety, can it be applied to those that have apoftatized during this long and dreadful captivity; because they did not embrace Christianity voluntarily for those that on account of the numberless massacres, perfe- . cutions, and banishments, which the nation fuffered, had not fufficient fortitude to fupport them, and therefore feemed to apoftatize, and pretended to embrace Christianity; yet, in theirs, they fecretly adhered to the true faith, and law of Mofes; and fuch, are at this day called among us, D'D\N The compelled: because, they act by compulfion: for as foon as they can by any means efcape from the Popish countries, they instantly return to Judaism, as I have mentioned Vol. Ift. page 18, note 2d.

Is it then to fuch, as we perhaps once in a century, hear of one embracing Christianity, that the Dr. wishes to apply this prophe

cy? if he does, I must tell him freely, that, he either hath deceived himself, or means to impofe on his readers for before he attempted to build an hypothefis on the converfion of such converts; he ought to have been fully acquainted with the motives of their converfion; he then would have found, that religion had no fhare in it; religion was quite out of the question: it was a little of the Chriftians money that they wanted; that was all. Thofe Jews, were poor both in money and religion: the Christians were rich, and withal had good store of faith; and always hot in the pursuit of that Don Quixote scheme, of making profelytes, and converting the whole world to Christianity, either by force, or perfwafion; the most efficacious of which, is by the power of gold of this, thefe unprincipled impofters were fully apprised, and determined to turn it to their account: they therefore, with much feeming hypocrify, pretended to embrace Chriftianity; but as foon as they could conveniently get away, after they had pocketed the money, they immediately forfook Christianity. Of this, I can produce a number of inftances, if it was neceffary; and

I am free to affert, that there is scarcely an inftance of a Jew ever having embraced Christianity on the pure principles of religion*: but merely from interested motives. From

I knew one perfonally well, who had apoftatized, and been baptized in catholic countries, no less than five times; by which means, he got a pretty fum of money. One time, his holiness the Pope, ftood god-father to him. I have alfo in my poffeffion, the hiftory of another of these adventurous knights, who, after being baptized in France, Poland, and Ruffia, fuccessfully practifed a few years back, the fame trick on the late Countess of Huntingdon; and fo artful were thofe impoftors, (father and fon) that they made the poor Lady, as well as a number of her friends, fondly believe, that a confiderable progrefs had been made in my converfion, by means of the fon; (who had been introduced to me, by one of our nation, under the pretence of attaining a thorough knowledge of the facred Language; and earnestly entreated me, to difpel the many erroneous notions that he must undoubtedly have imbibed, and give him a more adequate idea. of the true fenfe and value of facred writ.") and that as foon as my converfion was effected, that of the whole nation, would follow of courfe; and fo credulous were thefe infatuated zealots, and enthufiafts, that they eagerly fwallowed the bait, and actually furnished this arch impoftor with money and books, in order to promote fo good a caufe: thus they went fwimmingly on for fome time, till the father having made a pretty fwindle of about eighteen hundred pounds; of, and by the credit of his fpiritual friends and patrons, all of a fudden disappeared, and the whole was difcovered: I then had vifits from feveral of the injured parties, by which, I be

came