ACCOMPLISH AT JERUSALEM. But Peter and "they that were with him were heavy with fleep: "and when they were awake, they faw his glory, ❝ and the two men that flood with him. And it came "to pafs as they departed from him, Peter faid unto "Jefus, Mafter, it is good for us to be here: and "let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and 66 one for Mofes, and one for Elias: not know❝ing what he faid. While he thus fpake, there came "a cloud, and overfhadowed them; and they feared "as they entered into the cloud. And there came a "voice out of the cloud, faying, This is my beloved "Son: hear him. And when the voice was paft, "Jefus was found alone. And they kept it close, "and told no man in thofe days any of thofe things "which they had feen." Luke ix. 28-36.

I now return from this digreffion, and would ob ferve, that immediately on reading the observations of the English Ifraelite upon the tract Deborah, I remarked the circumftance of his objecting to the term FRIEND OF GOD, as applied to ABRAHAM. I did not, however, conclude as you have concluded, that he was either ignorant that fuch expreffions were used in 2 Chron. xx. 7. and Isaiah xli. 8. or that he intentionally omitted to mention them. His obfervations were evidently intended for those of his own nation, who, notwithstanding they may admit the fact that our tranflation is a faithful tranflation of the Old Teftament, may yet object, with perfect consistency, to particular expreffions; would you not allow to an Hebrew the fame liberty of opinion, as to the transla

tion of an Hebrew word, as is exercised by every Chriftian who is learned in the Hebrew?

I am very forry that you can quote an English bishop in favour of your opinion, "that fome de"gree of COMPULSION, as to hearing the word "preached at least, is quite confiftent with the spirit "of the gospel." You do not inform us in what age this bishop flourished; neither do you transcribe his words, and we are therefore left to guess whether he speaks this with reference to the Jews; prefuming, however, that fuch was his opinion, it is no MORE than an opinion. Here we have to rejoice, and I will rejoice with thankfulness to him by whom kings reign, and at whofe fovereign decree nations and empires rife and fall, flourish and decay, for the ineftimable privileges which we as a nation poffefs. We have laws which protect us in the enjoyment of the liberty of our perfons, and in the poffeffion of our property; and also, thank God, in the enjoyment of what is dearer to us, far dearer to us, than the liberty of our perfons and the poffeffion of our property, or even than life itself, the UNDISTURBED ENJOYMENT of that ineftimable comfort, that (amidft the changes and afflictions of this tranfitory life) we derive from OUR

RELIGION.

We have not only laws that protect us in the enjoyment of this ineftimable treasure, but we are under the government of a king, who (by his ministers, the judges, and magiftrates) watches over us and protects us in the enjoyment of these privileges, by administering these laws. We are under a legislature which we

love, because it abhors COMPULSION in matters of religion.

If, therefore, this bishop were now alive, he would be permitted to retain his OPINION, but he would poffefs no more LEGAL POWER to refort to this coмPULSION than the London Society do at this day. Leave muft FIRST be afked of a liberal-minded legiflature, who would, I am perfuaded, abhor the meafure.

Permit me to exprefs the pleasure I feel in acknowledging that I firmly believe you to be a fincere man; I love to fee and to acknowledge fincerity in your letter to the English Ifraelite, your fincerity is I think confpicuous, you are not afraid to avow the fentiments upon which you and the London Society, for promoting Chriftianity among the Jews, act. You fhew none of that infidious policy which induces fome men to keep back, and to conceal those opinions which may not tend to raise them in the opinion of the public; and this is I think the most confpicuous evidence of your fincerity, for I am greatly mistaken if it will not operate to the prejudice of your unadvised proceedings.

The great majority of Chriftians in this land read their Bibles, and acknowledge the excellence of that precept given unto us by the great "author and "finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was fet "before him endured the cross, defpifing the shame, "and is fet down at the right hand of the throne of "God," Heb. xii. 2. until his enemies be made to become his footftool, Pf. cx. 1.-The words of this

precept

precept are thefe: "Whatsoever ye would that men "fhould do to you, do ye even fo to them: for this is "the law and the prophets." Matt. vii. 12. The dif fenter, therefore, from the establishment, will naturally fay, "Do I approve of compulfion, if exercised "towards MYSELF? I do not, and I thank God for "that liberty I poffefs, under the mild laws of my ❝ dear native country, that I am thereby protected " from any the leaft degree of COMPULSION in mat"ters of religion; I therefore for one cannot ap

prove of exercising any degree of COMPULSION to "another, whilft I am thankful to my God that "others do not poffefs this power of COMPULSION

towards MYSELF." In making ufe of the term diffenter, I would be understood to mean ALL the diffenters from the establishment, let them call them felves, or be called by others, by what name they will. I am perfuaded that the words I have put in the mouth of one of them, would be the united fenti ment of them all, except, however, those who are engaged with you in your unadvised proceedings towards the Jews; but opinions are foon renounced, when they are acted on to the disadvantage of thofe who promulgate them; and if a law was to be enacted to compel the members of the London Society to come to church, in order to keep them from disturbing the Jews, I am confident that they would no longer be the advocates of COMPULSION in matters of religion. I fhould be very forry to fee fuch a law enacted, and I merely mention it to fhew what I think would be the effect produced by it, if it were enacted. G

The

The words I have put into the mouth of a diffenter, I am perfuaded would be acknowledged to exprefs the feelings alfo of every true fon of the church of England; the moderation of churchmen is grounded upon the precept of our Lord, to do unto others as we would have them to do unto us.

You use the liberty of a fincere Englishman in delivering your opinion; but I think there are few Englishmen who will agree with you in this point, for they hate the idea of compulfion in matters of religion. Compulfion has never anfwered the end of those who have reforted to it in matters of religion, and it deferves the serious confideration of thofe who rejoice in that great revival of zeal in the cause of true reli gion, which has arifen in these lands in all the various branches of the Chriftian family; I fay it deferves their most serious confideration, whether this revival hath not been in a great measure, by God's bleffing, to be afcribed to his mercy towards us in this very thing, that he has given us our religious privileges, I mean our civil religious privileges; laws which protect us in the undisturbed enjoyment of our religion. It has produced a much better fpirit than was formerly in thefe lands. We do not now witness those contentions that formerly produced fuch bitter fruit, but on the contrary, the more any one is himself deferving of respect, the more pleasure does he take in fpeaking refpectfully of others, who are of a different branch of the Christian vine. I muft produce an instance which occurs to my mind of this refpect, it is in page 201, of Bishop Horfley's last edition of Hosea; and