to profess, and they have transmitted it down to us without interruption.

"If they yet ask you of whom you hold your mission, answer, We hold it of God himself, whe in giving us two arms to aid our kind, has also given us intelligence to mutually enlighten us, and the love of good to bring us together to virtue; of God, who has given experience and wisdom to the aged to guide the young, and authority to fathers to conduct their children.

"If they are not struck with the force of these reasons, do not farther discuss the subject, and do not engage yourself in controversies, which tend to diminish the love of our neighbours.

Our

principles are the eternal truth; they will subsist, whatever individuals may support or attack them, and the efforts of the wicked will not even prevail against them. Rest firmly attached to them, without attacking or defending any religious sys◄ tem; and remember, that similar discussions have never produced good, and that they have often tinged the earth with the blood of men. Let us lay aside systems, and apply ourselves to doing good. It is the only road to happiness."

The Christian reader will admire the practical tendency of this new species of Deism, but lament the defects by which it stands charac◄ terized. It wants the broad basis of revelation, which would give permanency to its doctrines,

and energy to its precepts, beside the glorious discoveries of immortality! It was hoped at one time that the profession of this system in France would have prepared the way for the reception of pure Christianity.

As to the present state of religion in France, the reader is referred to the French Catechism translated by the Rev. D. Bogue. This Catechism is drawn up by the order, some say by the pen of Buonaparte, and is taught throughout the French empire. The section entitled a continuation of the Fourth Commandment, is particularly worthy of attention. It shews that the present emperor has not only the art of reigning, but of perpetuating that reign amongst his subjects. Superstition is the ally of tyranny.

JUDAISM.

JUDAISM is the religious doctrines and rites of the Jews, who are the descendants of Abraham, a person of eminence, chosen by God, soon after the flood, to preserve the doctrine of the Divine Unity among the idolatrous nations of the earth. A complete system of Judaism is contained in the five books of Moses, their great lawgiver, who was raised up to deliver them from their bondage in Egypt, and to conduct them to the possession

of Canaan, the promised land. The Jewish economy is so much directed to temporal rewards and punishments, that it has been questioned whether the Jews had any knowledge of a future state. This opinion has been defended with vast erudition by Warburton, in his Divine Legation of Moses; but it has been controverted by Dr. Sykes, and other authors of respectability. The principal sects among the Jews, in the time of our Saviour, were the Pharisees, who placed religion in external ceremony-the Sadducees, who were remarkable for their incredulity; and the Essenes, who were distinguished by an austere sanctity. Some accounts of these sects will be found in the last volume of Prideaux's Connection, in Harwood's Introduction to the Study of the New Testament, and in Marsh's improved edition of Michaelis, recently published.

The Pharisees and Sadducees are frequently mentioned in the New Testament; and an acquaintance with their principles and practices serves to illustrate many passages in the sacred history. At present the Jews have two sects, the Caraites, who admit no rule of religion but the law of Moses, and the Rabbinists, who add to the laws the traditions of the Talmud. The dispersion of the Jews took place upon the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, the Roman

emperor, A. D. 70. The expectation of a Messiah is the distinguished feature of their religious system. The word MESSIAH signifies one anointed, or installed into an office by unction. The Jews used to anoint their kings, high-priests, and sometimes prophets, at their entering upon office. Thus Saul, David, Solomon, and Joash,' kings of Judah, received the royal unction. Thus also Aaron and his sons received the sacerdotal, and Elisha, the disciple of Elijah, the prophetic unction.

Christians believe that JESUS CHRIST is the Messiah, in whom all the Jewish prophecies are accomplished. The Jews, infatuated with the idea of a temporal Messiah, who is to subdue the world, still wait for his appearance. According to Buxtorf, (a professor of Hebrew, and celebrated for rabbinical learning) some of the modern rabbins believe that the Messiah is' already come, but that he will not manifest himself on account of the sins of the Jews. Others, however, have had recourse to the hypothesis of two Messiahs, who are to succeed each other— one in a state of humiliation and suffering-the other in a state of glory, magnificence, and power. Be it however remembered, that in the New Testament Jesus Christ assures us, in the' most explicit terms, that he is the Messiah. In John iv. 25, the Samaritan woman says to Jesus,*

I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak to thee am HE. According to the prediction of Jesus Christ, several impostors would assume the title of Messiah: and accordingly such persons have appeared. An history of "False Messiahs" has been written by a Dutchman. Barcochab was the first, who appeared in the time of Adrian; the second, in 1666, was Sabbethai Levi, who turned Mahometan; and the last was Rabbi Mordecai, who was talked of in 1682.

The Talmud is a collection of the doctrines and morality of the Jews. They have two works that bear this name; the first is called the Talmud of Jerusalem; and the other the Talmud of Babylon. The former is shorter and more obscure than that of Babylon, but is of an older date. The Talmud compiled at Babylon the Jews prefer to that of Jerusalem, as it is clearer and more extensive.

The Jewish economy was certainly typical of the Christian dispensation in many important respects, but these types and antitypes have been wretchedly abused. A curious instance of this kind occurred about the time of the reformation. Le Clerc has recorded it; and the perusal of it must create a smile. The story is