conviction they seem more calculated for the demolition of Jewish error than for the establishment of Christian truth.*

The discordances of the Cabbalistic system with the representations of the inspired writers are too numerous and obvious to be overlooked: their perplexed and grovelling speculations present a mean contrast to the simplicity and dignity of Moses and the Prophets. The fundamental principle, that all existences are emanations from God, the evolution and expansion of whose essence constitutes the universe,-is of heathen origin: and the agreement of their leading tenets with the dogmas of the Alexandrian philosophy, has with high probability been thought by many learned

first Book of Chronicles. I doubted the sincerity of his professions, and am sorry to be able to add, that a few months after, he placed the matter beyond all doubt by his return to the synagogue.

*This was the opinion of the very learned Vitringa; as appears from a letter of recommendation prefixed to a work of Christian Meyer, which I had occasion to mention in the preceding chapter, and which contains many testimonies and arguments in favour of the Messiahship of Jesus, drawn from the Talmud and other rabbinical writings. After speaking of the character and qualifications of Meyer, as giving him strong claims to the attention of the public, this eminent professor has a passage of which the following is a translation. For, though I am not of the opinion and party of those 'who suspend any thing important to our faith on the agreement of a • Talmudical interpretation, whether private or public, of a prophe'tical passage, with the interpretation given by the evangelists and apostles; and though I am fully persuaded that the Church will 'never, in this way, obtain the desired and expected conversion of the Jewish nation; because our faith rests on solid and invincible 'demonstration, derived from internal evidences: yet I do not censure, but commend, the zeal of a Jew to serve the cause of Christianity in that way for which he is best qualified, and which he knows 'to be approved and adapted to the taste and habits of his brethren.'

men to justify the conclusion, that they were derived from that compound of Pythagorean, Platonic, and Oriental notions, which prevailed at Alexandria about the commencement of the Christian era.

*

Brucker. Hist. Philos. tom. ii. p. 644. 865. 930-949. 958-968. 995-1000, 1001. 1003—1004. 1007–1011. 1052, 1053. 1058-1062. Allix's Judgment, c. iii. Vitringa Observ. Sacr. Lib. i. c. 10. Wolf. Bib. Heb. vol. ii. p. 1229, &c. Leusden. Phil. Heb. Dis. xxvi. s. 16. Basnage, B. iii. c. 10-14. Maurice's Indian Antiquities, vol. iv. p. 166--188. Zohar in Gen. fol. 1. 3. in Exod. fol. 12. 3, 4. cited by Gill on Mark xii. 29.

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CHAPTER VI.

Thirteen Articles of Jewish Faith.-Remarks on their general Design:-Slight Notice of a Messiah:-Silence on Pardon of Sin.-Various Opinions concerning the Resurrection.-Precepts of the Jewish Religion, six hundred and thirteen :-Divided into affirmative and negative.-What Obedience sufficient.-Duties of Jewish Females.-Seven Precepts said to have been given to the Sons of Noah,-binding on the Gentiles.

EVERY system of religion includes doctrines and precepts. In addition to the many other services rendered to his nation, Maimonides has furnished them with the following summary of the doctrines of Judaism, in thirteen articles; which he calls foundations or roots of the faith, and which every Jew is required to believe, on pain of excision from the communion of Israel in this world, and condemnation with the wicked in the next.

I. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator* (blessed be his name) is the Creator* and Governor of all creatures, that he alone has made, does make, and will make all things.

The intelligent reader cannot fail of observing that this clause, if it be not an identical proposition, very much resembles the form of one. It was to avoid this appearance, I suppose, that David Levi, in a prayer book edited by him for the use of the German Jews in England, has translated the clause thus:-God is the Creator. But the Hebrew term is the same in both places, 1; which cannot be otherwise expressed in English, so well as by the word Creator. It occurs ten times in these Articles, and I have thought myself obliged to render it uniformly throughout.

II. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator (blessed be his name) is only one, in unity to which there is no resemblance, and that he alone has been, is, and will be our God.

III. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator (blessed be his name) is not corporeal, nor to be comprehended by an understanding capable of comprehending what is corporeal; and that there is nothing like him in the universe.

IV. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator (blessed be his name) is the First and the Last.

V. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator (blessed be his name) is the only object of adoration, and that no other being whatever ought to be worshipped.

VI. I believe with a perfect faith, that all the words of the prophets are true.

VII. I believe with a perfect faith, that the prophecies of Moses our master (may he rest in peace) are true; and that he is the father of all the wise men, as well of those who went before him, as of those who have succeeded him.

VIII. I believe with a perfect faith, that the whole law which we have in our hands at this day, was delivered by Moses our master, (may he rest in peace.)

IX. I believe with a perfect faith, that this law will never be changed, and that no other law will ever be given by the Creator, (blessed be his name.)

X. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator (blessed be his name) knows all the actions of

men, and all their thoughts, as it is said; "He "fashioneth all the hearts of them, and under"standeth all their works."

XI. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator (blessed be his name) rewards those who observe his commands, and punishes those who transgress them.

XII. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Messiah will come, and though he delays, nevertheless I will always expect him till he come.

XIII. I believe with a perfect faith, that the dead will be restored to life, when it shall be so ordained by the decree of the Creator; blessed be his name, and exalted be his remembrance for ever and ever.

'Whosoever,' says Maimonides, shall believe 'all these fundamental articles to be true, enters ' into the bosom of Israel, *and is entitled to ' receive from us all those demonstrations of brotherly love and good will which God has enjoined ' us to shew towards each other; and is bound to 'love his brother and his neighbour with all his heart, according to all that God has commanded: ' and, however many or great sins he may have 'committed from mental infirmity,-after he shall 'have been punished for them in this world, he 'shall participate in the happiness of the world to 6 come.

But if any man shall deny one of these fundamental articles, he is fallen from the bosom

* See the note on next page.

H