the fraud, he might not have reversed the proceeding. Nay, by the kind meeting of the brothers afterwards, one fhould be inclined to fuppofe, that Efau himself acquiefced at length in the propriety of what had been done. 4. If fuch were the cafe, Ifaac was only deceived into what was right, and what himself acknowledged to be fo, in the conclufion. The deception was like those often practifed by phyficians for the benefit of their patients; and cafuifts must decide upon it in the fame manner. The offence of Jacob is certainly alleviated, if not entirely taken off, by the circumstance of Rebekah pledging herself to bear the blame; as the conduct of Rebekah feems juftified by that of Ifaac ratifying and confirming to Jacob the bleffing LET. XIII. LET: bleffing originally intended for Efau. XIII. Upon the whole, if there were an offence, it was one that might be forgiven; and if God, notwithstanding, continued to bless Jacob, he did forgive it, and had reafons for fo doing. Ibid." In fhort, how fhall we justify God for the continual diftinc"tion he is faid to have bestowed on "a people, who from their own annals appear to have been unparalleled for "cruelty, ingratitude, inurbanity, &c." The article of cruelty, for proof of which we are referred, in a note, to the acts of Joshua, may be deferred till we come profeffedly to confider thofe acts. Their ingratitude towards God their Saviour was indeed flagrant; but perhaps might be matched elfewhere. As to the charge of inurbanity, it was brought against them by Vol taire, XIII. taire, who fpake of them as a LET. "wretched nation, ever ignorant, and "vulgar, and strangers to the Arts." The following reply was made to him. When the infidels fhall have duly confidered it, we fhall hope to be favoured with their fentiments upon it. "Does it become you, a writer of "the 18th century, to charge the an"cient Hebrews with ignorance? A 66 people, who, while your barbarous "ancestors, whilst even the Greeks and "Latins, wandering in the woods, "could fcarcely procure for themselves "cloathing and a fettled fubfiftence, "already poffeffed all arts of neceffity, "and fome of mere pleasure; who 6 not only knew how to feed and “rear cattle, till the earth, work up "wood, ftone, and metals, weave "cloaths, LET. XIII. "cloaths, dye wool, embroider stuffs, polish and engrave on precious "ftones, but who, even then, add"ing to manual arts those of tafte "and refinement, furveyed land, appointed their festivals according to "the motions of the heavenly bodies, "and ennobled their folemnities by "the pomp of ceremonies, by the "found of inftruments, mufic, and dancing; who even then committed "to writing the hiftory of the origin "of the world, that of their own "nation, and their ancestors; who "had poets and writers fkilled in all "the fciences then known, great and "brave commanders, a pure wor 66 66 fhip, juft laws, a wife form of government; in fhort, the only "one of all ancient nations, that has "left |