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vened bread, as now ceasing to be useful. Soon perceiving that he had fixed on too early a period for the fulfilment of his predictions, David Lemlem asserted, that the sins of the people had retarded the appearance of the Messiah. Still the eyes of the Jews remained unopened; and many of them assembled near Jerusalem, and celebrated a solemn fast, in order that they might propitiate Jehovah, and accelerate their deliverance. At the close also of the 15th century, Ismael Sophy, a young prince who was in fact a Mahometan, and who afterwards ascended the throne of Persia, assumed the name of a prophet; and the Jews, dazzled by his valor and the celerity of his successes, indulged the notion of his being their promised Messiah. In the year 1509, an infamous Jew of Cologn is said to have arrogated the appellation of the Messiah. About the same time, also, Jacob Melstinski appropriated to himself the same lofty title, and, traversing Poland and Silesia at the head of twelve pretended apostles whom he had chosen, deluded multitudes of people. And in the year 1534, rabbi Salomo Malcha, having declared himself the Messiah, was burnt in Spain by order of Charles the Vth.

The 17th century was still more favorable to credulity, and still more fruitful in imposture. In the early part of it, a false Messiah arose in the East Indies and in the Portuguese city of Goa; and deceived great numbers of the descendants of Abraham, who sighed for the recovery of liberty and independence. At Amsterdam, and in the year 1624, there appeared another impostor, a Jew of Germany, who declared that he had seen the Messiah at Strasburgh, and announced the mighty victories he was to accomplish.

But his fame was greatly eclipsed by Sabatai Sevi, the son of a poulterer of Aleppo, a man of learning, and, as there is reason to believe, at once a fanatic and an impostor. As the accounts respecting him, from his comparatively recent appearance, have more of copiousness and authenticity, than the narratives of imposture can commonly be known to possess, I shall perhaps be authorised in citing a long passage from bishop Kidder, the third volume of VOL. II.

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whose work on the Messias was published in the year 1700, 34 or 35 years after the commencement of the imposture of Sabatai Sevi. But long as it is, it is only a part of what the bishop has related respecting him. In the year 1666, says the prelate, Sabatai Sevi appeared at Smyrna, and professed himself to be the Messias. He promised the Jews deliverance and a prosperous kingdom. This which he promised they firmly believed; the Jews now attended to no business, discoursed of nothing but their return. They believed Sabatai to be the Messias, as firmly as we Christians believe any article of faith. A right reverend person then in Turkey, told me, that meeting with a Jew of his acquaintance at Aleppo, he asked the Jew, what he thought of Sabatai. The Jew replied, that he believed him to be the Messias, and that he was so far of that belief, that, if he should prove an impostor, he would then turn Christian. It will be very fit I should be very particular in this relation, because the history is so very surprising and remarkable; and we have an account of it from those, who were then in Turkey, and are now alive. I am so well satisfied as to the facts, that I dare vouch for the truth of the relation, and appeal for the truth of it to very many persons of great credit who are now alive.-At Gaza Sabatai preached repentance (together with a faith in himself) so effectually, that the people gave themselves up to their devotions and alms. The noise of this Messias began to fill all places.Throughout Turkey the Jews were in great expectation of glorious times. They now were devout and penitent, that they might not obstruct the good which they hoped for. Some fasted so long that they were famished to death; others buried themselves in the earth till their limbs grew stiff; some would endure melted wax dropped on their flesh; some rolled in the snow; others in a cold season would put themselves into cold water; and many whipped themselves. Business was laid aside; superfluities of household utensils were sold; the poor were provided for by immense contributions. Sabatai comes to Smyrna, where he was adored by the people, though the Chacham contra

dicted him, for which he was removed from his office. There he in writing styles himself the only and first-born Son of God, the Messias, the Saviour of Israel.' Whilst the Jews in their synagogues had been accustomed to pray for the Grand Seignior, he orders those prayers to be forborn for the future, thinking it an indecent thing to pray for him, who was shortly to be his captive; and, instead of praying for the Turkish emperor, he appoints prayers for himself, as another author relates. And, as my author. goes on, he elected princes to govern the Jews in their march towards the Holy Land, and to minister justice to them when they should be possessed of it.' After declaring that he was appointed by heaven to visit Constantinople, he went thither, and was thrown into prison by the Vizier. Still, however, the Jews pay him their visits, and they of this city are now as much infatuated as those of Smyrna. They forbid traffic, and refused to pay their debts. Some of our English merchants, not knowing how to recover their debts from the Jews, took this occasion to visit Sabatai, and make their complaints to him against his subjects. Whereupon he wrote this following letter to the Jews :'

"To you of the nation of the Jews, who expect the appearance of the Messias, and the salvation of Israel, peace without end. Whereas we are informed, that you are indebted to several of the English nation, it seemeth right unto us to order you to make satisfaction to these your just debts; which if you refuse to do, and not obey us herein, know you, that then you are not to enter with us into our joys and dominions."

'Sabatai remained a prisoner in Constantinople by the space of two months. The Grand Vizier, designing for Candia, thought it not safe to leave him in the city, during He therefore the Grand Seignior's absence and his own.

removed him to the Dardanelli; a better air indeed, but yet out of the way; and consequently importing less danger to the city which occasioned the Jews to conclude,

that the Turks could not, or durst not take away his life, which had, they concluded, been the surest way to have removed all jealousy. The Jews flocked in great numbers to the castle where he was a prisoner; not only those that were near, but from Poland, Germany, Leghorn, Venice, and other places. They received Sabatai's blessings and promises of advancement.-The Jews of the city paid Sabatai Sevi great respect. They decked their synagogues with S. S. in letters of gold, and made for him, in the wall, a crown they attributed the same titles and prophecies to him which we apply to our Saviour.' At length being ordered into the presence of the Grand Seignior, and required to perform a miracle, he was obliged, in order to save his life, to profess Mahometanism. During these things, the Jews, instead of minding their trade and traffic, filled their letters with news of Sabatai, their Messias, and his wonderful works. They reported that when the Grand Seignior sent to take him, he caused all the messengers, that were sent, to die.' In consequence of these and other reports, 'the Jews of Italy sent legates to Smyrna, to inquire into the truth of these matters.'

In the year 1682 appeared rabbi Mordechai, who was famous, among his countrymen in Germany, for his attainments in learning and his austerity of life. He laid claim to the prophetic character and to the title of the Messiah. By the Italian Jews he was extremely caressed; and the genuineness of his credentials was admitted by them and many of the Jews of Germany. As late as the year 1703 another impostor, named Daniel Israel, deluded the Jews of Smyrna. He pretended to perform various miracles; and asserted, that Sabatai Sevi was still alive, and would shortly emerge from the place of his concealment, and gloriously deliver the Jews from their present state of dispersion and ignominy. Nor was he admired and followed only by the crowd, many of whom celebrated the day of the nativity of Sabatai Sevi, and anxiously expected his appearance: the lying declarations of this impostor of the 18th century were also vindicated and approved by the rab

bins: but, at length, he was expelled from Smyrna by the governor of that city, and great was the disturbance, which is banishment occasioned among its Jewish inhabitants.

This long narrative I shall conclude by observing, that it contains ample evidence of the fulfilment of one of the prophecies of Jesus, I am come in my Father's name, said our Lord to the Jews, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

Basnage, who wrote at the beginning of the present century, in the chapter which treats on the Present State of the Jews, says, 'They still consider themselves with their ancient haughtiness as the people of God.-They always are expecting a glorious return, which shall raise them above all the nations of the earth. They flatter themselves, that this deliverance will speedily arrive, though they are ignorant of the time"."

On the state of the Jews in the last century, and there is no reason to believe that it is greatly altered, I shall quote the words of Luzzati, a rabbi who taught at Venice in that century. "It is a difficult thing," says Luzzati, "to give an exact account of the number of the Jews, who are at present dispersed into so many places. We cannot tell any.

95 For the facts respecting the Jewish impostors see Basnage's History of the Jews (p. 516, 518, 551, 564, 577, 597, 631, 633, 664, 697, 699, 701, 730, 731, 738,757); bishop Newton's Dissertations on Prophecy (vol. III. p. 42); Jortin's Remarks on Ecclesiastical History (vol. II. p. 361–366); bishop Kidder's Demonstration of the Messias (vol. III. p. 394-421); and Dion Cassius (Leunclavii, Hanoviæ, 1606, lib; LXIX. p. 794).

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96 John v. 43. To come in his own name, says Dr. Whitby, is to come without commission or testimony from God.' Of Dr. Clarke's paraphrase on these words the following is the principal part. Ye reject me, I say, principally for this very reason, because I seek not temporal interests, neither set up myself as the head of a sect in the way of worldly pride and ambition; but preach to you plainly in the name of God my Father.-If another should come, pretending himself to be the Messias; though without any of that evidence of divine authority, which I have brought along with with me; and should set up himself to be a great person; promising you for your service worldly power and dignity, and suffering you quietly to go on in your vices; him you would entertain and follow with all eagerness.' 97 P. 748.

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