fays elsewhere, (Chap. v. 2.)

"But thou they fay, (as) the LORD liveth, furely th will fwear falfely." But ye fhall only swe to the ftrict truth of the matter; then wi ye be in fo exalted a state of bleffedness, tha "The nations shall bless themselves in him and in him fhall they glory." For then th nations will all follow after Ifrael, as th Prophet fays, (Zechariah. viii. 23.) "Say ing, We will go with you: for we hav heard that) God is with you."

According to this explanation of the pro phecy, it contains four fundamental truths First, that the future redemption will no take place, till after they have been scattered in all parts, and greatly decreased; owing to the great length of this dreadful captivity; fo that they will be gathered one out of a city, and two out of a family. This agrees with the feventh principle contained in the prophecies of Ifaiah.

Second, that after their redemption, they will attain the highest degree of fanctity and piety; and will no more fall into fin, by following the evil imaginations of their lustful heart. This agrees with the eleventh prin

This

riple of the prophecies of Isaiah.

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

17th, "And all nations shall 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 obferves on the expreffion*, "And I will take you one out of a city, &c, "This undoubtedly relates to their call into the Christian 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 fupport of this opinion, he cites Ifai. xxvii. "And ye thall be gathered one by one, O fons of Ifrael." This, may perhaps be what the Authors of the new and metrical

12.

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Translations, may call found criticifm; 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.

VOL. II.

wreft

wreft it from its true fenfe and meaning, order to fupport a certain system; and which, every thing is rendered fubfervien without any regard had as to its relation the subject; as is clearly the cafe at presen For in the first place, let us inquire, wh thofe Jews were that embraced Chriftianity as alfo at what time, where, and when? I the Dr. means the time of Jefus, or the firf preaching of the Gofpel, I must tell him a I have told Dr. Priestley*, That Jefus made but few converts, and those chiefly from a mong the lower class of the nation. And is it to fuch as these, a few of the fcum and refufe 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 lastly, 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 surely

* Letters to Dr. Priestley, in anfwer to his Letters to the Jews, part IId. p. 70.

:

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 maffacres, perfecutions, and banishments, which the nation fuffered, had not fufficient fortitude to support them, and therefore seemed 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'DUN The compelled: becaufe, they act by compulfion: for as foon as they can by any means escape 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, tha he either hath deceived himself, or means impose on his readers: for before he a tempted to build an hypothesis on the co verfion of such converts; he ought

have been fully acquainted with the motive of their converfion; he then would hav found, that religion had no fhare in it reli gion was quite out of the question: it was little of the Chriftians money that they want ed, that was all. Thofe Jews, were poo both in money and religion: the Chriftian were rich, and withal had good store o faith; and always hot in the pursuit of tha Don Quixote scheme, of making profely. tes, and converting the whole world to Chrift ianity, either by force, or perfwafion; the moft efficacious of which, is by the power of gold: of this, these unprincipled impofters were fully apprised, and determined to turn it to their account: they therefore, with much seeming hypocrify, pretended to embrace Christianity; but as soon as they could conveniently get away, after they had pocketed the money, they immediately forfook Christianity. Of this, I can produce a