there. And for their Accommodation there, the Jews did make divers Tents for their Repofe, and had Plenty of Provifion brought them from other Parts of the Country, during the time of their fitting there. There was alfo one large Tent, built only for the Council to fit in, made almoft foursquare; the North and the South part of it, being not altogether fo large as the Eaft and Weft part thereof. It had but one Door, and that open'd to the Eaft; and in the middle thereof ftood a little Table and a Stool for the Propounder to fit on, with his Face towards the Door of the Tent. The faid Propounder was of the Tribe of Levi, and was named Zacharior; and within this Tent round about were placed divers Forms for the Confulters to fit on. It was alfo inclosed with a Rail, that ftood at a diftance from it, to prevent entrance to all Strangers, and to all fuch Jews as could not prove themselves to be Jews by Record, or could not difpute in the Hebrew Tongue, which many had forgotten, who liv'd in fuch Countries, where they are not allow'd their Synagogues, as in France, Spain, and thofe parts of Italy that do belong to the King of Spain, viz. the Kingdom of Naples, with the Province of Calabria and Apuleia; the Kingdom of Sicilia and Sardinia; in which places if a Jew be found, and he deny the Popish Religion, he is in danger to be condemn'd and ́executed for it; and yet Profit and Benefit allureth them to dwell in those Countries, notwithstanding their Fears and Dangers: and themselves are willing to forget, and fo neglect to teach their Children their native Language, rather than they will lofe their opportunity of Profit: and fome have burnt the antient Records of their Tribe and Family, that they might not be difcover'd by fearching, or otherwife. And for this Defect, that they could not prove their Tribe or Family, they were not permitted to come within the Rail, but were commanded to remain without, with the Strangers that remain'd there, to fee the Iffue of their Proceeding, which were above 3000 Perfons, and they were for the most part Germans, Almains, Dalme tian, and Hungarians, with fome Greeks; but few Italians, and not one English-man, that I could hear of, befides my self.

I was inform'd, that the King of Hungary not favouring the Reformed Religion, did give no encouragement to any Proteftant Churches to fend any Divines thither; but he did allow that fome Affiftants should be fent from Rome: and their com ing thither did prove a great unhappiness to this hopeful Council When the Affembly did firft meet, they spent fome time is their mutual Salutations; and, as their manner is, they kiss'd one the other's Cheek, expreffing much Joy for their happy Meeting. And all things being provided for their Accommo

dation,

ation, they confider'd of the Jews that were to be admitted Members of this Council; and they were only allow'd to be Members, which could by Record prove themselves to be naive Jews; and for defect herein, I obferv'd above Five hunred refus'd; tho doubtless they were True-born Jews, yet they ould not by Record prove themselves fo to be; and for this hey were not admitted to be Members of the Council, but hey did abide without the Rail with the Strangers that were. here: and the number of them that were accepted to be Members, was about Three hundred Jews. And this was all hat was done the first day.

On the fecond day, the Affembly being full, the Propounder tood up, and made his Speech concerning the end of their meeting: And, This, faid he, is to examine the Scriptures concernng Chrift, whether he be already come, or whether we are yet to expect is coming. In examining this Queftion, they fearch'd the Old Teftament with great Care and Labour, to be refolv'd of the Truth thereof, having many Bibles with them there for this end. And about this Point there were great Difputes amongst hem. The major part were of Opinion, That he was not come; and fome inclin'd to think that he was come; being mov'd thereunto by their great Judgment, that hath continu'd now this Sixteen hundred years upon them.

I remember very well one of the Council in his Conference with me, feem'd to be very apprehenfive of the great and long Defolation of their Nation, ever fince their Destruction by the Roman Emperors; and he imputed this their Affliction. to their Impenitency. And comparing their prefent Judgment, with their other Judgments they had fuffer'd before, he ingenuously confefs'd, that he did conceive it was for fome great Wickedness; and that their Nation was guilty of the Blood of the Prophets fent from God to their Nation, and the many Maffacres that had been committed by the feveral Sects and Factions amongst them. For (faid he) we are no Idolaters, neither do I think we were guilty of Idolatry fince our Captivity in Babylon; and therefore (faid he) Í do impute this our Calamity and prefent Judgment to the fore-nam'd Causes. And this was the fum of that which was difputed amongst them the fecond day of their meeting; and fo they adjourn'd till the next Morn ing, which was the third day of their meeting.

When being affembl'd together again, the Point that was chiefly agitated was concerning the Manner of Chrift's coming. And this, fome faid, fhall be like a mighty Prince, in the full Power and Authority of a King, yea, in greater Power than ever any King had; and that he will deliver their Nation out of the Power of their Enemies, and their Temple fhall

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be rebuilt again; and, that the Nations fhall be of their Religion, and worship God after their manner. For they hold, That the Meffiah will not alter their Religion, whenfoever he cometh. And further, concerning his Parentage, they did agree in this, That he fhould be born of a Virgin, according to the Prediction of the Prophets; and they agreed alfo, that he may be born of fuch a Virgin, which might be of mean Note amongst their Nation, as was the Virgin Mary. And here fome of them feem'd to me, to incline to think that Chrift was come. Therefore when they came together again the next day, the Propounder demanded of them, if Chrift were already come, and who they thought he was? and to this Demand they gave this Anfwer, That they thought Eliah was he, if he were come, becaufe he came with great Power, which he declar'd by flaying the Priefts of Baal; and, for the fulfilling of the Scripture, he was opprefs'd by Ahab and Jeze bel: yet they efteem'd him to be more than a mortal Man, because he fo ftrangely afcended up into Heaven. And be caufe this Opinion was contradicted by others, the day follow. ing they took into Examination the fame Queftion, to answer them that faid Eliah was not the Meftah. They of the contrary Opinion did urge the Care and Love of Eliab for the good of their Nation, in that he left them Elifba his Difciple to teach and inftruct the People; which they expect to be the Care of their Meffiah. Thefe were the chief Arguments they had to defend their Opinion: and the fame day, towards night, it came into queftion amongst them, What he then was that faid he was the Son of God, and was crucified by their Anceftors? And becaufe this was the great Queftion amongst them, they defer'd the further Confideration thereof until the next day.

When meeting again, the Pharifees (for fome of this Sea were amongst them, that were always the Enemies of Chrift) they firft began to anfwer this laft Night's queftion; and thefe by no means would yield that he was the Chrift; and thefe Reasons they gave for their Opinion.

First, Because (faid they) he came into the World like an ordinary and inferior Man, not with his Scepter, nor Royal Power; wherewith they affirin'd the Coming of Chrift fhould be Glorious. Secondly, They pleaded against him the Mean nefs of his Birth, in that his Father was a Carpenter; and this they faid, was a Difhonour that Chrift fhould not be czpable of. Thirdly, They accus'd him to be an Enemy to Mofes's Law, in fuffering his Difciples, and in doing Works himself that were prohibited on the Sabbath-day; for they believe that the Meffiab will punctually and exactly keep the

Lav

Law of Mofes and where the Gospel doth teftify of Chrift, that he did fulfil the Law, they reject the Teftimony thereof, because they do not own the Gospel. But I obferv'd these Reasons of the Pharifees did not fatisfy all that heard them, but there ftill remain'd fome Doubt in some of them concerning Chrift; for there ftood up one Rabbie call'd Abraham, and objected against the Pharifees, the Miracles that Chrift wrought whilft he was upon Earth, as his raifing of the Dead to life again, his making the Lame to walk, the Blind to fee, and the Dumb to fpeak. And the fame Abraham demanded of the Pharifees, by what Power he did thefe Miracles? The Anfwer the Pharifees return'd to him, was to this purpose: They faid he was an Impoftor and a Magician; and blafphemously traduc'd him of doing all his Miracles by Magick: Thus, faid they, he first caus'd them to be blind, to be dumb, to be lame; and then by taking away his Magical Charm, they were reftor'd to their former condition. Nevertheless, this Answer gave little Satisfaction to the said Abraham: but thus he reply'd, That he could not charm thofe that were born in that condition, as blind, c. and born alfo before Chrift himself was born; as it appeareth fome of them were. This feem'd to him an abfurd Paradox; and truly the preffing of this Argument did almoft put them to a nonplus, till at laft they had this Evafion (tho weak and vile) They were (faid they) by other Magicians convinc'd to be fo in their Mother's Wombs; and that altho himself were not then born when they were born with thefe Evils, yet he being a great Diffembler, and more cunning than any Magician before him, Power was given him by the Devil, to remove those Charms which others had plac'd. And there was one Pharifee nain'd Zebedee, who of the Pharisees there did moft opprobrioufly revile him, and ve hemently urge thefe things against him; but I conceive he did it not to the well-liking of many there that heard him, even Members of the Council. And as the Pharisees that day play'd their Parts against him; fo did the Sadduces alfo endea vour (for fome of that Sect were alfo of the Council) to ren der Chrift vile and odious to the reft of the Jews that were affembl'd there. I obferv'd it was with them, as it was once with Herod and Pilate; tho they two could not agree betwixt themfelves at other times, yet they could agree together to crucify Chrift: for the Pharisees and Sadduces, tho they be much divided in Opinion among themfelves, yet did they at this time too much agree to difgrace and to dishonour Chrift with their Lies, Calumnies and Blafphemies: for the Sadduces, as well as the Pharifees, did in other things accufe him for a grand Impoftor, and for a Broacher of corrupt Doctrine; in

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that

that in his Gospel he teacheth the Refurrection from the Dead, which they there deny'd to be true Doctrine: but it is no new thing to fee Factions diffenting, to agree in some evil defign against others, as I found it by experience. Being at Rome in the Year 1650, which was the Year of their Jubilee, there was a great Strife between the Jesuits and the Fryars of the Order of St. Dominick, both which were against the Proteftants; and altho their Differences have been by the care and vigilance of the Pope fo fmother'd, that the World hath not taken much notice thereof; yet this Fire broke out Into a Flame greater than ever it was before, (as they certified me there) both by publick Difputings, and by bitter Writings one againft another, opening the Vices and Errors of one another's Faction, thus feeking to difgrace one the other; which caus'd the Pope to threaten to excommunicate the Authors of all fuch black and libellous Books, that did tend to the difhonour of his Clergy and Religion, to make them infamous to the World. But this by the way.

We are come now to the seventh and laft Day of their Council; and on this day, this was the main Query amongst them: If Chrift be come, then what Rules and Orders hath he left his Church to walk by? This was a great Queftion amongst them: and because they did not believe the New Teftament, nor would be guided by it,they demanded fome other Inftruction to direct and guide thein in this Point: Thereupon fix of the Roman Clergy (who of purpofe were fent from Rome by the Pepe, to athift in this Council) were call'd in, viz. two Jefuits, two Friars of the Order of St. Auguftine, and two of the Order of St. Francis. And thefe being admitted into the Council, began to open unto them the Rules and Doctrine of the Holy Church of Rome, (as they call it) which Church they magnified to them for the Holy Catholick Church of Chrift, and their Doctrine to be the infallible Doctrine of Chrift, and their Rules to be the Rules which the Apoftles left to the Church for ever to be obferv'd, and that the Pope is the Holy Vicar of Chrift, and the Succeffor of St. Peter: And for inftance in fome particu lars they affirm'd the real prefence of Chrift in the Sacrament, the religious Obfervation of their Holy Days, the Invocation of Saints praying to the Virgin Mary, and her commanding Power in Heaven over her Son, the Holy use of the Crofs and Images, with the reft of their Idolatrous and Superftitious Worship; all which they commended to the Affembly of the Jews, for the Doctrine and Rules of the 'A poftles. But fo foon as the Affembly had heard thefe things from them, they were generally and exceedingly troubled thereat, and fell into high Clamors again them and their Religion, crying out, No Chrift, no Woman-God, mo

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