been afflicted: it is good that in our favourite purfuit, we 66 HAVE LABOURED UNDER GREAT DIF

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FICULTIES AND HAVE MET WITH PAINFUL "DISAPPOINTMENTS;" and that if we had fucceeded it would have been the greatest evil that could have happened unto us. It is in the fchool of adverfity that the Chriftian learns "to give thanks "always, for ALL THINGS, unto God and the Father, "in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift," Ephef. v. 20. for ALL THINGS; yea, for PAINFUL DISAPPOINTMENTS as well as for joyful fuccefs; for not a fparrow falleth to the ground without our heavenly Father, Matt. x. 29.

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Afflictions, if they are humbly and patiently and thankfully received, as fatherly chastisements, are real bleffings, and the earnest of future good; the bleffing is in my opinion dawning upon them, for the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews has arisen to their deliverance; it has taken an intolerable burden from their fhoulders, a burden that will finally crush all that burden themselves therewith : "In that day I will make Jerufalem a BURDEN66 SOME STONE for all people: all that burden them"felves with it shall be cut in pieces."-" In that day " will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth ❝of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in "a fheaf." Zech. xii. 3, 6. Did not Antiochus find the Jewish nation to be a burdenfome ftone to him? Did he not find the law of JEHOVAH (which he fo vehemently endeavoured to wrench out of the hands

of the Jews) to be unto him like a torch of fire in a fheaf? He found this to be fo to his deftruction, and fo will his fucceffors, THE LONDON SOCIETY, unless they defift from walking in his steps.

When unadvised measures have been purfued, step follows ftep, and it is hard to ftop and fay, I will proceed no further; but thank God the Miffionary Society have had the firmnefs to make a ftand. Antiochus by cruel torments endeavoured to compel the Jews to eat things which THEY were forbidden to eat by the law of JEHOVAH their God, 2 Mac. vii. 1-42. and the Miffionary Society have been folicited to found a school for the purpose of maintaining Jewish children, and entirely removing them from the care of their parents. This, it is true, would have been a strong temptation to very poor Jews, who have many children. The Miffionary Society were not bound to give all their reasons for rejecting this propofal; I have good hope that they were guided by nobler motives than mere prudential confiderations as to expence. They have had time for reflection, and may have argued thus, "We daily pray to be pre"ferved from TEMPTATION, how then can we con"fiftently hold out a temptation to the poor of the "Jewish nation to do that which they cannot but "confider a GREAT SIN."-" We are taught to do "unto others as we would they fhould do unto us; let "us then reverfe the cafe, and fuppofe that we were " in great poverty, with numbers of children about us, "and that the opulent profeffors of any other religion

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were to TEMPT us with the offer to maintain "and inftruct our children, and to teach them that "the religion we, their fathers, profefs, is not the ❝ truth."

The English Ifraelite acted confiftently in faying, "I feel much obliged to the directors of the Miffionary Society for declining the propofal fubmit❝ted to them, with refpect to taking the poor chil"dren of Jewish parents, in order to educate them "as Chriftians." Perfeverans may fneer at the English Ifraelite for thus expreffing himself, and at the Miffionary Society, by faying, "Neither am I 46 QUITE SURE that the Miffionary Society will be "highly gratified with the EULOGIUM."-This is no more than is to be expected. If well-meaning men have been urged to leave a plain path, in which they were walking with fatisfaction, and find themselves upon the dark mountains, and make a ftand, thofe who decoyed them out of the way will be fure to fcoff at them, to prevent their return to the path of peace. Let them fcoff; if the directors of the Millionary Society are but fatisfied in their confciences that they have acted with propriety, they will be enabled to bear up against the reproach of all men, if all men were to UNITE to reproach them; but fo far from this being the cafe, I am perfuaded that there is not a British Chriftian that will not refpect them for this their conduct, except, nevertheless, the members of the London Society.

Nebuchadnezzar was a great king, and he took Jewish children to educate them for his service; but notwithstanding

notwithstanding he appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank, it by no means appears that this was done with, intent to draw them into a fnare, by TEMPTING them to break the law of their God; at that time it is plain that Nebuchadnezzar knew nothing of the law of JEHOVAH. However, notwithstanding the king's decree," Daniel purpofed in his heart that he would "not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank;" and it pleafed God to blefs this his purpofe, for God brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs, and he complied with his request, and permitted him and his companions, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, to have pulfe to eat and water to drink, Dan. i. 1-16. If there

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fhould be a Jew fo abject as to fay, "MY POVERTY 66 AND NOT MY WILL CONSENTS;" and if the London Society fhould thus attain their end, and get hold of fome Jewish children, it is fincerely my hope that they will be protected and preferved as Daniel and his companions Shadrach, Mefhach, and Abednego, were by their gracious and merciful God; and let the members of the London Society beware left they become like torches of fire in the midst of their sheaves, and left thefe Jewish children have to behold the countenances of the ANTIOCHIANS changed and their thoughts troubled, their joints loofed and their knees fmiting against each other, (Dan. v. 6.) in dire apprehenfion of that hand-writing of Mofes, the fervant of God, which is against them, Deut. xxx. 7.

I hope the London Society will avoid the evil, by defifting from their unadvised proceedings.

Antiochus was not the firft that fought to prevail against Ifrael, by feducing or compelling them to eat things which were forbidden unto THEM to eat. Even in the days of Mofes the enemy prevailed againft Ifrael by these means, Numb. xxv. 1-18. It is a crime poffible to be committed, even by Chriftians of the Gentile nations towards other Chriftians of the Gentile nations; for St. Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, thus expreffes himself in his Epiftle to the Romans: To him that esteemeth any thing to

be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy "brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkeft "thou not charitably. Deftroy not him with thy "meat, for whom Chrift died. Let not then your "good be evil spoken of, for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteoufnefs, and 66 peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoft. For he that

in these things ferveth Chrift is acceptable of God, "and approved of man. Let us therefore follow "after the things which make for peace, and things "wherewith one may edify another. For meat

deftroy not the work of God. All things are indeed pure but it is evil for that man who eateth "with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor "to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother

ftumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Haft "thou faith? have it to thyfelf before God. Happy is the man that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth, And he that doubteth is condemned

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