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I. The very passage shews

by signifies a virgin,

for hy is, in a contemptible sense, a man not yet fit to

marry.

עלמה

Young Jew. In Proverbs xxx. 19, by signifies a young wife.

I. You have no right to translate it wife.

Young Jew. Why do not Christians celebrate the Sabbath?

I. They are commanded to do it; if they do it not, they sin.

Gabay and the young Jew then desired me to write down my proofs for Christianity, and they would answer. I intend to do so if I have time.

The conversation lasted three hours and a half, and we left each other in the greatest friendship.

Dearest Friends,

Gibraltar, June 13, 1821.

THE ship does not yet sail, on account of the contrary wind, and I continue therefore my conversations with the Jews at Gibraltar.

The 10th of June, I read with Mr. Gabay the work of the Portuguese Rabbi Netto, who was Doctor of Madeira, and High Priest of the Jews at London, and died in the year 1727; he wrote his work in the Spanish tongue-it is a refutation of the principles of the Caraite Jews, who deny the authority of tradition. Rabbi Netto must have read Bellarmin, and Thomas Aquinas, for he proves the necessity and divine origin of tradition, just in the same way as those champions of Popery did. The learned Jews at Gibraltar study the works of Rabbi Solomon Isaac, Aben Ezra, Rabbi Levi, Ben Gerson, Rabbi David Kimchi, Abarbanel, Prime Minister of the King Fernando V., the Book Zohar. The most learned Jews at Gibraltar are, 1. Rabbi Joseph Elmaleck.-2. Rabbi Shalom.-3. Rabbi Judah Bives.-4. Joseph Ben Saken.

I distributed the following quantity of New Testaments, not those of my own, but of Dr. Parker's :-1.

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One New Testament to the respectable Jew Ben Aba. 2. To Isaac Levi, a nice young man of talent and property.-3. The excellent and serious Jew Sananes.-4. gave one to an Anonym.-5. Cohen, a gentleman by principle and education.-6. To Mr. Ben Aruz, respected by all the officers of the Garrison as an honest man and a gentleman; he is a man of property: he desired Mr. Cohen to lend him the New Testament; being informed of it, I went to him with Mr. Cohen and gave him one. I shall soon mention the interesting conversation I had with him.-7. Ben Sachar, a merchant, and a man of education.-8. Ben Sachen, jun., a rich Jew.-9. Schemai Uziel.-10. Benadino.-11. Belis. 12. Judah Aboah.-13. Mr. Messiah, a young gentleman-like Jew, who understands Latin, French, Spanish, and Hebrew, and who has read Buchanan's Researches, and believes himself to be of the family of King David.-14. Anonym.-15. Ben Jamin.-16. Simon Uziel. 17. Judah Benaim.-18. Sarphat.-19. Casetti.-20. Anonym.-21. Anonym.-22. Anonym.-23. Anonym. 24. To Mr. Gabay two for distribution.-25. Haguz Hazalcot.-26. Menahem Gomez.-27. Joseph.-28. Kamkit, a schoolmaster. I just came to Mr. Gabay, when he was about to lend Mr. Kamkit his own New Testament to read, I therefore made him a present of that which I had with me. Many desired to pay, but I received no money, according to Dr. Parker's advice. When I came last Saturday to Mr. Gabay, I met there five or six Jews, who read the New Testament with Mr. Gabay. And on Saturday, in the afternoon, I found Mr. Gabay, with Mr. Casetti, at Dr. Parker's, expecting me, and we read the New Testament together with great eagerness indeed. I have given three New Testaments to three other poor Jews, who understand Hebrew very well indeed.

I was introduced on the 12th of June, 1821, by Mr. Cohen, to Mr. Ben Aruz.

Ben Aruz. I am very much obliged for the New Testament; I say always to my friend Cohen that Mr. Wolf is a very sensible man, of great talent, who gains

much money, and eats well, and drinks well, and be-lieves in his heart what he likes; all the Jews at Gibraltar are a parcel of fools, who argue with you about the prophets and the law. I was in the world and know the world very well; I have done myself all that you, Mr. Wolf, do—I went about with Bishops arm in arm ; I lived many times in convents, moreover I was the galant homme of all the ladies; but in the midst of all those things my heart was a Jew-and thus you are, Mr. Wolf,-But you are right!

I. It is sorrowful, indeed, that you know so little of the spirit of the law of Moses and the prophets, so that you think that a man may be a hypocrite, and nevertheless be a Jew. If you, Mr. Ben Aruz, have acted thus in your youth, for a little meat and drink, you have acted wrong, and I tell you that you have not been happy that whole time. And do you think that I should be such a fool to deny my God, my Saviour, for money, for meat and drink? There will be a day of resurrection, a day of universal judgment, and if I should then be in such a state, as you suppose, my wretched soul would be in an awful condition. But no, no, I believe rather with all my heart, and all my soul, in Jesus Christ, my Saviour, my Redeemer.

Mr. Cohen went away, and I was a little while alone with Ben Aruz.

Ben Aruz. Mr. Wolf, I am a man of honour, a man of secresy, and I assure you with an oath, that I will not betray you; but tell me sincerely, do you believe in Jesus Christ?

1. In Jesus Christ, my Lord, my God-in Jesus Christ, my Lord, my God-in Jesus Christ, my Lord, my God-the heaven above is my witness, and the earth beneath.

Ben Aruz. What use is the Son? we have the Father, and in him we believe!

I. Do you believe in the Father?

Ben Aruz. I believe.

I. And all that he commands?

Ben Bruz. And all that he commands I am obliged to fulfil.

I. The father commands, "Kiss the Son!"

Ben Aruz. I only tell you this, Mr. Wolf, you will cry out at your death, "I have sinned, I have committed iniquity, I have done wickedly."

I. Yes, you are right, I shall cry out indeed, "I have sinned, I have committed iniquity, I have done wickedly" but at the same time I hope to add, "I hope in thee, Jesus, my Lord, and my Redeemer, and my God!" Jews of respectability entering the room of Mr. Ben Aruz, saluted me in a very kind manner; I began to talk about the divine origin of the Law of Moses and the Prophets, and the malice of the Rabbies. It was the first time I attacked their prejudices. They listened with all attention, and shewed me the greatest respect. I visited, after that conversation, the Rabbi of Jerusalem, who received me with the greatest kindness, and told me that he was sorry that Jonas was so unpolite. He told me that he had the intention of visiting London before his departure for Jerusalem; I asked him whether he would take with him some letters for you to London? he replied, "With great pleasure." He will come to London in a month, and bring for you some letters: I am sure you will receive him kindly.

June 13.-Mr. Gabay attacked me again, with the word hy (Is. vii.) and said, it is true that signifies to hide, but I will shew you that may signify something else; but he desired first of all my strict proofs that by signifies virgin.

I. 1. Proof by the origin of the word itself. 2. By the eldest translator. 3. By the citation of the New Testament. 1. Origin, sy hide, , a woman hidden, after the manner and custom of the East, until she is of age for marriage. 2. The Greek Translators, one hundred and eighty years before Christ, translate it Virgin. 3. The Evangelist Matthew would not have been so bold as to translate it Virgin, if the Jews had not generally understood Virgin under. 4. Other passages prove it.

Gabay. I will prove to you by Kimchi's Dictionary, that must have another original signification beside hide. He opened Kimchi and shewed me, which

Kimchi translates ¡yn, sinner, but Gabay did not read through Kimchi's interpretation.

I. Mr. Gabay, go on! go on! go on! (I never was in such a heat!) Gabay was obliged to continue, and we found that Kimchi mentioned the reason why Dibya has the signification of sinner, for he (says Kimchi) acts in secret places. The above-mentioned Ben Aruz, who is the friend of Mr. Gabay, with whom he travelled ten years, entered the room; he used the same arguments he did the day before; I was able, by the grace of the Lord, to tell him again that I set my only hope in Jesus, my Lord!

Ben Aruz. You must confess the name of Christ! 1. Yes, you are right, I must confess the name of Christ, compelled by the grace of the Lord.

Ben Aruz. For all your present welfare depends upon this profession.

I. All my present and future happiness and welfare depend upon it.

Ben Aruz. Courage, Mr. Wolf.

I. Which Jesus Christ, my Lord, will give me.
Ben Aruz. Hold him fast.

I. I will by his grace hold him fast.

Ben Aruz. Or you lose yourself?

1. Or lose myself for ever.

Ben Aruz. You are a man of great talent.

1. I am a poor weak creature, a sinner, who hopes to be saved by Christ Jesus, by his blood!

Gabay. He neither slumbers nor sleeps, the Watchman in Israel! (He said this in Hebrew.)

I. He neither slumbers nor sleeps, the Watchman in Israel! (I, in Hebrew.)

Gabay. Hear, Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord! (In Hebrew again.)

I. Hear, Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord-and Jesus is the Messiah !-(1, in Hebrew.)

Tears stood in the eyes of Gabay, and Ben Aruz became more serious. No Jew has seen me, by the grace of the Lord, I hope, in a trifling spirit. They can always observe my whole heart in my countenance.-

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