But it is enough for us to appeal to these Scriptures, as containing most complete evidence, that when Jesus appeared, the great body of the Jewish nation were not in a proper state for discerning and judging of the evidences of his divine character and mission. Jesus, therefore, may be the Messiah; and the Jews, under the influence of that hardness of heart, and that moral inability to understand divine truth, which were foretold by the prophet Isaiah in the passage above quoted, may have rejected and crucified the Lord of Glory: or, to say the least, the rejection of Jesus, by a people who, according to Moses, were to 'grope at noon-day; and of whom God himself testified, ' Ye are not my people, and I ' will not be to you,' forms no solid objection to his divine character and mission. There is a necessary and most intimate connection between the practice of holiness and spiritual discernment; between unholy practice and the spirit of delusion: and as the Jews, according to the testimony of David Levi himself, were, when Jesus appeared, a wicked people, it is evident

1

that they were not in a fit state for discerning the nature of the Messiah's kingdom, or the evidences of his divine mission.

The above considerations may also furnish an answer to a complaint which they make against the Christians, for considering them as a blind, obstinate, and superstitious people, labouring under a spiritual blindness. (Vide Levi's Dissert. Vol. I. page 267.) We would ask the Jews, Whether we are to form our estimate of their present character from their own opinion of it, or from the testimony of Moses and the prophets? Is it right for us to believe the Scriptures, or is it not? We appeal to their Scriptures, and not to our own, upon this point: we invite them to a candid and careful examination of the writings of Moses and the prophets, for a full confirmation of the fact, that blindness is happened unto Israel (Rom. xi.) until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

The language used by the prophet Ezekiel, in his wonderful predictions of the future restoration of Israel, shows, likewise, that, during their

captivity, the nation have not sustained the character of the people of God, but have been estranged from his covenant and worship. In chapter xx., after describing their return to their own land, the Lord, by the mouth of the prophet, says, in ver. 42, ‘And ye shall know that ' I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the ' land of Israel, into the country for the which I ' lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers. • And there shall ye remember your ways, and 'all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; ' and ye shall loath yourselves in your own ' sight, for all your evils that ye have committed.

' And ye shall know that I (am) the Lord, when

• I have wrought with you for my name's sake ;

' not according to your wicked ways, nor your

corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the ' Lord.'

In chapter xxxix., after prophecying of the destruction of Gog and his hosts, the prophet, speaking in the name of the Lord, adds, (ver. 22,) So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God, from that day and forward.

6 And the heathen shall know that the house of 'Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore

hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies; so fell they all by 'the sword. (Ver. 27.) When I have brought ' them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' hands, and am sanctified

in them in the sight of many nations, then 'shall they know that I am the Lord their God, ' which caused them to be led into captivity 6 among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of 'them any more there.'

As it is repeatedly said, and with peculiar emphasis, in the foregoing passages, that Israel shall know the Lord their God when he shall bring them into their own land; the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their

God, from that day and forward,' we must necessarily conclude, that, during their captivity, they have not known the Lord their God, and have not truly served or worshipped him;

which is quite inconsistent with David Levi's assertion, that one party of his nation " has "always openly adhered to the truth, and con"tinued in the covenant;" and that the other party, though from fear "they seem to aposta" tize, yet, in their hearts, secretly adhere to the "true faith, and the law of Moses."

The very strong language which is used by Ezekiel with respect to the repentance of the children of Israel after their restoration, deserves the particular attention of the Jews. It shows that they will then form a very different estimate of their past character and conduct, from what now appears to be the opinion of David Levi on this subject. And, indeed, it is worthy of the anxious inquiry of the descendants of Abraham, whether they have not been guilty of some sins, the nature and extent of which are now hidden from them, in consequence of that blindness prophesied of by Moses and Isaiah.

The only passage in the prophetical writings

L