" in like manner he ufed many others of the Jews." And when they were banished in the reign of Edward I. their eftates were confifcated, and immenfe fums thereby accrued to the crown. 13. Their fons and their daughters should be given unto another people, ver. 32. And in feveral countries, in Spain and Portugal particularly, their children have been taken from them by order of the government to be edu cated in the popish religion. The (4) fourth council of Toledo ordered, that all their children should be taken from them for fear they should partake of their errors, and that they should be shut up in monafteries, to be inftructed in the chriftian truths. And when they were banished from Portugal, "the king," fays (5) Mariana, " ordered all their children, under 14 years of age, to " be taken from them, and baptized: a practice not at "all justifiable," adds the hiftorian, because none 66 66 ought to be forced to become Chriftians, nor children to be taken from their parents." 14. They should be mad for the fight of their eyes whicht they should fee, ver. 34. And into what madnefs, fury, and defperation have they been pushed by the cruel ufage, extortions, and oppreffions which they have undergone? We will allege only two fimilar inftances, one from ancient, and one from modern history. After the deftruction of Jerufalem by Titus, (6) fome of the worst of the Jews took refuge in the castle of Mafada, where being clofely befieged by the Romans, they at the per fuafion of Eleazer their leader, first murdered their wives and children; then ten men were chosen by lot to flay the reft; this being done, one of the ten was chofen in like manner to kill the other nine, which having executed he fet fire to the place, and then ftabbed himfelf. There were nine hundred and fixty who perished in this miferable manner; and only two women, and five boys efcaped by hiding themselves in the aqueducts under ground.. Such another inftance we have in our Englith (4) See Bafnage, B. 7. С. 13. Sect. 14. (5) Mariana, B. 26. С. 6. (6) Josephus de Bell. Jud. Lib. 7. C. 8 et 9. Edit. Hudson. hiftory. history. For (7) in the reign of Richard the first, when the people were in arms to make a general massacre of them, fifteen hundred of them seised on the city of York to defend themselves; but being befieged they offered to capitulate, and to ransom their lives with money. The offer being refused, one of them cryed in despair, that it was better to die courageously for the law, than to fall into the hands of the Christians. Every one immediately took his knife, and stabbed his wife and children. The men afterwards retired into the king's palace, which they fet on fire, in which they confumed themselves with the palace and furniture. 15. They should serve other gods, wood and Stone, ver. 36; and again ver. 64. they should serve other gods, which neither they nor their fathers had known, even wood and Stone. And is it not too common for the Jews in popishe countries to comply with the idolatrous worship of the church of Rome, and to bow down to stocks and stones rather than their effects should be seised and confiscated? Here again we must cite the author, who hath most studied, and hath best written their modern history, and whom we have had occasion to quote several times in this discourse. "The Spanish and Portugal Inquifi 66 sitions, (8) faith he, reduce them to the dilemma of being either hypocrites or burnt. The number of "these dissemblers is very confiderable; and it ought " not to be concluded, that there are no Jews in Spain "or Portugal, because they are not known: They are "so much the more dangerous, for not only being very numerous, but confounded with the ecclesiastics, and "entring into all ecclefiaftical dignities." In another (9) place he faith, "The most surprising thing is, that "this religion spreads from generation to generation, " and still fubfifts in the persons of dissemblers in a re"mote posterity. In vain the great lords of Spain (1) "make alliances, change their names, and take ancient (7) Bafnage. B. 7. Chap. 10. Sect. 20. who cites Matt. Paris. p. 111. et Polyd. Virgil. 1. 14. p. 248. (8) Basnage. Book 7. Chap. 33. Sect. 14. (9) B. 7. Chap. 21. Sect. 26. p. 102. 1 VOL. I. : I "Scutcheons; "fcutcheons; they are still known to be of Jewish race, " and Jews themselves. The convents of monks and nuns " are full of them. Most of the canons, inquifitors, and " bishops proceed from this nation. This is enough to " make the people and clergy of this country tremble, "fince fuch fort of churchmen can only profane the "facraments, and want intention in confecrating the host they adore. In the mean time Orobio, who relates the fact, knew these dissemblers. He was " one of them himself, and bent the knee before the "facrament. Moreover he brings proofs of his affer"tion, in maintaining, that there are in the synagogue " of Amsterdam, brothers and fifters and near relations "to good families of Spain and Portugal; and even "Francifcan monks, Dominicans, and Jesuits, who "come to do penance, and make amends for the crime. "they have committed in diffembling." 16. They should become an astonishment, a proverb, and a by-word among all nations, ver. 37. And do we not hear and fee this prophecy fulfilled almost every day? is not the avarice, ufury, and hard-heartedness of a Jew grown proverbial? and are not their perfons generally odious among all forts of people? Mohammedans, Heathens, and Christians, however they may disagree in other points, yet generally agree in vilifying, abufing, and perfecuting the Jews. In most places where they are tolerated, they are obliged to live in a separate quarter by themselves, (as they did here in the Old Jewry) and to wear fome badge of distinction. Their very countenances commonly diftinguish them from the rest of mankind. They are in all respects treated, as if they were of another species. And when a great master of nature would draw the portrait of a Jew, how detestable a character hath he represented in the person of his Jew of Venice! 17. Finally their plagues shall be wonderful, even great plagues, and of long continuance, ver. 59. And have not their plagues continued now these 1700 years? Their former captivities were very short in comparison: and (2) Ezekiel and Daniel prophefied in the land of the (2) See Basnage, B. 6. Chap. 1. Sect. 2. Chaldæans: Chaldæans: but now they have no true prophet to foretel an end of their calamities, they have only falfe Meffiahs to delude them, and aggravate their misfortunes. In their former captivities they had the comfort of being conveyed to the same place; they dwelt together in the land of Goshen, they were carried together to Babylon: but now they are dispersed all over the face of the earth. What nation hath fuffered so much, and yet indured fo long? what nation hath subsisted as a diftinct people in their own country, fo long as these have done in their difperfion into all countries? and what a standing miracle is this exhibited to the view and observation of the whole world? : Here are inftances of prophecies, prophecies delivered above three thousand years ago, and yet as we fee fulfilling in the world at this very time: and what stronger proofs can we defire of the divine legation of Mofes? How these inftances may affect others, I know not; but for myself I must acknowledge, they not only convince, but amaze and astonish me beyond expreffion. They are truly, as Mofes foretold they would be, a fign and a wonder for ever, ver. 45, 46. Moreover all these curses Jhall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee andovertake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the woice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments, and his ftatutes which he commanded thee: and they shall be upon thee for a fign and for a wonder, and upon thy feed for ever. VIII. PROPHECIES OF OTHER PROPHETS CONCERNING THE JEWS. B ESIDES the prophecies of Mofes, there are others of other prophets, relative to the present state and condition of the Jews. Such are those particularly concerning the restoration of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin from captivity, and the diffolution of the ten tribes of Ifrael; and those concerning the prefervation : 12 of of the Jews, and the destruction of their enemies; and those concerning the desolation of Judea; and those concerning the infidelity and reprobation of the Jews; and those concerning the calling and obedience of the Gentiles. And it may be proper to say something upon each of these topics. I. It was foretold, that the ten tribes of Ifraei should be carried captive by the kings of Affyria, and that the two remaining tribes of Judah and Benjamin should be carried captive by the king of Babylon: but with this difference, that the two tribes should be restored and return from their captivity, but the ten tribes should be diffolved and lost in theirs. Nay not only the captivity and restoration of the two tribes were foretold, but the precise time of their captivity and restoration was alfo prefixed and determined by the prophet Jeremiah: (XXV. 11.) This whole land shall be a defolation, and an aftonishment; and these nations shall ferve the king of Babylon seventy years: and again (XXIX. 10.) Thus faith the Lord, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word towards you, in causing you to return to this place. This prophecy was first delivered (Jer. XXV. 1.) in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the fon of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. And this (1) fame year it began to be put in execution; for Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judea, befieged and took Jerufalem, made Jehoiakim his fubject and tributary, tranfported the finest children of the royal family and of the nobility to Babylon to be bred up there for eunuchs and slaves in his palace, and alfo carried away the vessels of the house of the Lord, and put them in the temple of his god at Babylon. Seventy years from this time will bring us down to the first year of Cyrus, (2 Chron. XXXVI. 22. Ezra I. 1.) when he made his proclamation for the restoration of the Jews, and for the rebuilding of the temple at Jerufalem. This computation of the seventy years captivity appears to be the truest, and (1) See Usher, Prideaux, and the Commentators on a Kings XXIV. 2 Chron. XXXVI, and Dan. I. moft |