| |
| WHEN thou canst wash the Ethiopian white, | |
| Govern the winds or give the sun more light, | |
| Cause by thy words the mountain to remove, | |
| Control the seas or hurl the bolt of Jove, | |
| Then hope—but not till then—to turn the Jews, | 5 |
| To Christian doctrines, and to Christian views; | |
| For Christian faith, say conscience, is thy guide, | |
| The Jews, for conscience sake ’gainst it decide. | |
| One God thou callest three, and three but one, | |
| The Jews acknowledge God as one alone, | 10 |
| To whom all honour, praise, and glory due, | |
| From Christian, Pagan, Mussulman and Jew. | |
| |
| Were not the Jews from Abraham decreed | |
| To be the holy and the chosen seed, | |
| Appointed to receive and to record | 15 |
| The sacred scriptures of the Almighty’s word, | |
| While every prophet’s tongue, and angels’ voice | |
| Proclaimed that people God’s peculiar choice? | |
| Then why should humanity presume | |
| To question God’s decree and assume | 20 |
| Wisdom, beyond the reach of mortal ken, | |
| Unknown to angels, unconceived by men? | |
| |
| To Abraham, Isaac, and to Jacob too | |
| God did sacred promises renew; | |
| Told them, their seed, conducted by his hand | 25 |
| Should surely see and gain the promised land. | |
| What though proud Pharaoh long in bondage kept | |
| The sons of Jacob, while they mourned and wept? | |
| Yet, in due time, the promises prevailed, | |
| And God’s beloved their great deliverer hailed. | 30 |
| |
| Moses the holy prophet of the Lord, | |
| With inspiration blessed, proclaimed the word; | |
| Gave comfort when his brethren most despaired, | |
| And all the mercies of their God declared; | |
| By miracles and wonders set them free | 35 |
| From Pharaoh’s proud and ruthless tyranny. | |
| Led them triumphant from the fatal shore, | |
| From which their enemies returned no more; | |
| Who madly rash, and impiously brave, | |
| All found in Israel’s path a watery grave. | 40 |
| Thus Pharaoh and the host of Egypt failed— | |
| Israel was saved—the Lord of Hosts prevailed. | |
| |
| Did not such wonders and such judgments prove | |
| The Jews to be the object of God’s love? | |
| Then what art thou who darest dispute their claim | 45 |
| To blessings promised in the Eternal name? | |
| Oppressed, distressed, and wandering o’er the world, | |
| The ensign of their glory still unfurled? | |
| What now supports them? What does joy afford? | |
| Hope in the promises—faith in God the Lord. | 50 |
| |
| Canst thou from hope and faith their tribes seduce | |
| By specious arguments, howe’er profuse? | |
| No, conversion must from conviction flow— | |
| The mind to mere assertions cannot bow; | |
| Man must believe what nature’s reasons cite, | 55 |
| Until illumed by some superior light, | |
| Canst thou communicate those rays divine? | |
| Presumptuous man! let humbler thoughts be thine. | |
| |
| Serve thou thy God with all thy heart and soul, | |
| Seek not thy neighbour’s conscience to control; | 60 |
| But humbly hope that all who are sincere | |
| In goodness, will eternal mercy share; | |
| That every honest charitable heart | |
| Will of celestial bliss enjoy its part; | |
| When God shall summon all before his throne | 65 |
| Each one to answer for himself alone. | |
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