the Chriftian religion, wherein he runs through all the Gofpel, endeavours to explode all the proofs of it, raises all the difficulties he can against it, and preffes them with all poffible vigour and bitterness; and, with the fame heat, confutes the objections of Chriftians against the Jews. This book he compofed against the difciples of Luther, with whom he had had frequent conferences and disputes; and it was not long before that piece was followed by another equally, if not more, virulent; viz. THE Nitzachon; or Victories, commonly afcribed to R. Jom Tob Lipman, and published and answered by Mr. Wagenfeil, as was lately hinted, and by Sebaftian Munster, in his Hebrew verfion of St. Mathew's Gofpel. The reader may fee a farther account of that virulent book, and its author, in the margin (U). doth not hinder his book from being one of the strongest that have been written against Chriftianity. It hath had fome edi tions fince that of Wagenfeil above-mentioned, and hath been as learnedly confuted by eminent divines; for both which, we refer the reader to Dr. Wolf above quoted (42). . (U) It is not unlikely, as fome authors have obferved against Bartolocci (who hath not diftinguished here with his ufual exactnefs), that there have been fome other books printed under the name of Nitzachon (victo ries or triumphs); the rabbies being, as we have obferved more than once, very fond of fuch pompous titles; one of them feems to have appeared in the twelfth century, from his quoting no authors below bat all above it. Another, which is attributed to one R. Mattathiah, appeared, A. C. 1399; and was written by him against one Peter, who had renounced IN Judaism, and had been baptifed by that name. This is fuppofed to be the book which the learned Skikard had defigned to confute; but which Mr. Hackspan, having with great difficulty procured from a Jewish rabbi, an. 1643, caused to be printed at Altorf the very next year, in Hebrew; and was fince reprinted with much greater correctnefs by Mr. Wagenfeil, and with proper notes. Since then R. Lipman, who flourished towards the end of the fifteenth century, wrote two books with the fame title; the one in confutation of the proofs which Chriftians urge against the Jews, from Faacob's prophecy, That the fceptre shall not depart from Judah, &c. (43). The other, which was only an abridgment of that, he reduced into verfe, that it might be the more eafily learned by heart by the Jewish youth; and it is this that Wagenfeil hath thought fo dangerous, as well as worth (43) Genefis xlix. 10. De boc, vid. (42) Bibl. Hebr. Ñ. 1145. p. 641. Anc. Hift. vol. iii. p. 317 (G). vol. x. p. 629. MOD. HIST. VOL. XIII. Ee con. In the mean time thefe difputes between the Jews and Christians feem to have produced fome new fects among the latter, which were called in contempt Judaizers, or half Jews. Of that fort was Seidelius, who maintained, that the Meffiah regarded only the Jews, to whom he had been promifed in the fame manner as the land of Canaan; and that the heathen had no, more share in the promise of the former than of the latter. He further affirmed, that the whole of religion was contained in the decalogue, and written in the hearts of men 2. He was a native of Silefia, and there he di MARTIN. SEIDELII, ad Cæt. Cracov. ep. i. p. 806. confuting. But that which Munfter fo often takes to tafk, in his Hebrew verfion of St. Mathew's Gospel, and fometimes quotes whole paragraphs out of, being written in profe, is, in all likelihood, the firft of Lipman's writing, of which more by and by. There hath been a fifth publifhed fince under the fame title, which muft have been written fince Luther and Calvin, as they are often quoted in it. But the Jerus have been fo fearful of its coming to light, that one of their rabbies, being informed that Hackspan had got one of them, and was tranflating it into Latin, ftole it from him, fo that it hath never appeared fince (*). Lipman, in that above-mentioned in profe, not only ftrives to overturn all the proofs of Chrift being the Meffiah, but doth every-where exprefs himfelf with the greatest bitterness against him and his religion, taking his Gospel to task in the moft virulent manner; and defcends even to the lowest puns, filing it, in allufion to its Greek and Latin names, Havon-gheli on, that is, the Revelation of Iniquity; and calling his bleffed Virgin Mother by the filthy name of Charia, which will not bear englishing, instead of Maria. Thofe who defire to know more of that peftilent work, may confult the authors laft quoted, and Munfter's notes to his Hebrew verfion of St. Mathew above-mentioned. In the mean time, we hope the generality of our readers will not be difpleafed, if we tell them, that our prefent Jews, thofe efpecially of the higher clafs, are fo far from following his example, or ufing his blaf phemous expreflions, against our divine lawgiver, that they make no fcruple to own a deep admiration of his precepts, above thofe of their own, especially thofe that relate to univerfal charity, beneficence, meekness, humility, forgiveness, &c.; and how much deeper an impreffion they would make on them in his favour, were his profeffed difciples, like him, to display those excellent Gofpel virtues in practice, as they do in theory, every confiderate reader may easily guess. (*) See Wolf. ubi [up. N. 1364. p. 734. Basnag. ubi fup. c. 34. §. 5—10. Wagenfeil Tela Ignee. vulged his notions, but gained few difciples to them. Another, named Francis David, was called half a Jew, because he maintained it unlawful to pray to Jefus Chrift, who had taught us to pray to the Father only; and being now in heaven, could know nothing either of our wants or of our praySuch was likewife reckoned George de Novara, who was burned at Bolonia, for denying that the Meffiah was come; and fuch were also esteemed fome other fectaries, who obferved the Jewish Sabbath, abftained from blood and things strangled, &c.; feveral of whom alfo fuffered as half Jews, in England and other parts. nand, A. C. ABOUT the beginning of the fixteenth century, the Jews Jews ba of Merfburgh, though they pretended to have been fettled nished from there ever-fince the deftruction of Jerusalem, were never the- Merflefs banished out of that city and diocefe by the bishop of it, burgh, They did however find a fafe retreat in other parts; and the A. C. emperor Ferninand I. not only protected them, but granted 1559. Protected them the privilege of having a chief or prince of the captivity; and ordered, that the chief Rabbi of Worms fhould have by Ferdithat advantage above any other of his nation. They reckon in the number of them, the famed R. Jakok, a native of that city, and a man of great learning, who left four fons, who were all prefidents of academies, princes of the difperfion, and highly admired by their nation. One of them taught chiefly at Friburgh, where they had an academy and fynagogue, as well as in other cities of the empire, particularly at Vienna, where they had erected a magnificent building. This century did likewise produce a good number of learned doctors, both in Germany and Poland (W), who enjoyed very great privileges, as b FRANC. DAVID, defenf. inter oper. Socini. tom. ii. p. 717.. BASNAG. ubi fup. c. 34. §. 11, & feq. GANTZTZEMACH, P. 153. (W) There flourished in Auftria the famed R. Solomon Luria, who was efteemed even more learned then Jakok abovementioned, and was ftiled, according to their pompous way, The crown of Ifrael, the wonder of the age; all people walked by his light, and all the Ifraelitish difperfions drank of his water; and his name was known in all the world. He wrote a treatise, (44) Theod. Ebert, in postic. Hæbr. Ganıx, ubi fup. Ea He 1563. as well as liberty and quiet, in the latter; infomuch, that at Cracow they had a fynagogue, an academy, a houfe of judgment, and a great affembiy. They were likewife dispersed in feveral other cities of that kingdom, and flourished under the protection of that government: only they were now-andthen liable to fuffer by popular commotions. Thus, for inftance, their houfes were one day fet all on fire in Pofnania, without daring to quench it, being afraid left the populace fhould fall on them if they attempted it. The people do indeed pretend, that a kind of fupernatural terror had seized on them from above, which would not suffer them so much as to draw water to quench the flames, or to fave any thing out of them; fo that they were forced to stand still, and fee their houses, effects, and even the facred books, reduced to afhes d. But, excepting thofe popular difafters, learning, as well as traffic, flourished among them; and their academies were governed by men of great reputation (X). CARDINAL Commendon, in his way into Ruffia, found likewife in the province of Ukrania a great number of Jews, in great credit, who did not inrich themselves, as they do every-where else, by ufury, &c. but by a fair and honeft commerce. They cultivated their lands, and applied themfelves to the study of physic and aftrology, and others farmed the customs and carriage of merchandise. They are not only d GANTZ TZEMACH, p. 157. He wrote feveral other tracts of the fame kind: fuch as his Wisdom of Solomom, Curtains of Solomon, Crown of Solomon, Columns of Solomon; together with fome other expofitions, his Bircath Hammazon, or Bleffing of the food, and his Shechitoth ubedicoth, which is a kind of directory how to kill and examine beafts used for food (45). About the fame time flourish ed alfo R. Samfon de Guntzburgh, fo called from his native place, who was a great mafter of geometry and architecture, gained immenfe wealth, and diftributed it with the fame liberality he got it. Bartolocci ́ (45) Wolf, ubi lup. N. 2000. p. 1071. Gantz, ubi fup. Wolf, Bafnag, ubi fup. Ijd, ibid. c. fays he published a treatife of architecture, but which was never printed (46). (X) Among them was the celebrated R. Iferdes, who taught at Cracow, A. C. 1553. and was followed by a vast number of difciples, who flocked to him from all parts to hear his lectures. He was pious, perfect, and expounded the law, during the space of twenty years (47). Jofeph Cets, born in the fame city (48), was another learned profeffor, who is affirmed to have worn four crowns, viz. that of the priesthood, of the law, of the imperial dignity, and of a great reputation (49). (46) Id ibid. N. 2211. p. 1153. (47) 35. §. 15, & seq. (48) Iid, ibid. (49) exempt from wearing a mark of distinction, but are even allowed to wear a fword, and to enjoy the fame pofts and employments as the natives of the country *. 1530. WE took notice a while ago, that they had been ad- An acadevantageously settled in Bohemia ever-fince the tenth cen- my at tury, on account of great fervices they had done to the Chrif. Prague, A. C. tians there against the banditti. They not only built a noble fynagogue, but erected afterwards an academy at Prague, of which R, Falk was chofen chief (Y); and enjoyed fome fingular privileges in that country. But they met likewise there with perfecutions and difafters. A general conflagration having destroyed fome part of that kingdom, they were accused, and found guilty of having caufed it; fo that those that escaped the flames, were all banished, ten only excepted, Banished. who obtained leave to continue at Prague. Ferdinand was not able to appease the tumultuous Bohemians, by any other means, than by their deaths or banishments, till the incendiaries were discovered towards the latter end of the year, when Recalled. they were all recalled, and settled there afresh ‘, IT was not long before another ftorm was raised against A new them, on a fufpicion that they had prayed at Prague against ftorm, the Christians; whereupon all their books were immediately A. C. feized, and fent to Vienna. The lofs of them was very af- 1558. Alicting, not only on account of their value, but because they were forced to officiate in the fynagogue without them, and that by dint of memory. They were however so soon reftored to them, that it looked as if they had been taken away with no other view but to force them to redeem them. But even then their happinefs proved fhort-lived, fince the emperor banished them all but ten families out of Bohemia, before Banished, that year was out. What his reasons were our author & doth and fettled not tell us; but they were permitted at the same time to go afresh and fettle in any part of his other dominions; and it was e See the life of that prelate, written by FLECHIER, p. 270. BASN. ubi fup. §. 18. GANTZ, ubi fup. p. 151, & feq. 8 RODOLPH. Imp. Decret. Pofan. an. 1578. art. ii. ap. Verboz Corp. per Hungar. tom. i. p. 52. RODOLPH. ii. Decret. Pofan, an. 1595. art. x. (Y) This rabbi took it into his head to introduce the Chriftian manner of difputing in his fchool; but foon found that it difgufted all their wifemen, and that the Jewish theology is too Ee 3 not |