SIR, I kindly take [...] Dedication of your Booke, as one who am a Member of that House you so much honour, & your acknowledgement that we of that House do highly fa­vour your Nation; and seeing you would yet have us love you more and more, I will tell you what is the true bond of Love & the great­test obligation, even true Religion, wherein because you yet fall short, I cannot yet love you so much as I [Page 2]would, but I doe abundantly pitty you, that you yet live in darkenesse and the shadow of death, and will not entertaine that light which your Adonai and ours hath sent into the world. But what yet we have done of any glorious action, I cannot yet acknowledge, it may be I may finde it hereafter. And certainely it will be a very glorious action, if wee can convert your Nation of the Jewes to the fulnesse of true beliefe.

And indeed I beleeve we are the likelyest Nation under Heaven to doe it. For wee hate Idolatry as much as you. Nor doe we worship any graven or paynted Images. I wish both ye and many of us were as free from inward Idolatry and did not worship our owne con­ceits and vaine Imaginations. But we have some that are free from that also, and are free from Covetous­nesse which is Idolatry, I wish your Nation were so also. But I would [Page 3]not have our nation put that hard precept of Christianity upon you, that upon your conversion your goods should bee confiscated, that precept, to sell all and give to the poore, is ill administred by the Ido­latrous Roman Congregation.

Secondly, we worship that one God which you doe, whether you call him Elohim or Adonai; but wee say, that Adonai belongs to us more than you, for you shall finde in the Psalmes, that Elohim said to Adonai, which wee declare thus; The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, untill I make thine enemies thy footstool: you cannot say but this is spoken of the Messias, and the filius Davidis, and hence wee collect two persons in the Trinity, which one God, Trinity in Unity, we worship, and upon this very day, which wee call Trinity Sunday, the Sunday after the comming of the Holy Ghost. And we write de tribus Elohim [Page 4]which wee can prove out of the old testament. Thirdly we acknow­ledge with you the old testament to be the word of God, and receive no other Canon of it than you doe, herein wee both disagree with the Romanist And wee ac­knowledge that God by your Na­tion hath preserved the Canon of the old testament, and wee pray you may understand it as well as wee.

Fourthly, wee keepe a sabbath as well as you, onely wee say that A­donat, being Lord of the Sabbath, changed the day; some other things there are wherein wee agree; and clearly in the whole decalogue, sa­ving that alteration of the sabbath.

Now Sir, I will shew you where­in you differ from your selfe, or fall short of the truth, and that your hopes built upon Montezint's re­lation are very fallible, and nothing so Divine or reasonable as our faith.

Your relation of Montezini is a double here [...] first of him from the Cazic Francis, and that was also from his forefathers; then from Montezini to your selfe. That from the Cazic Francis, with that caution, that Montezini should not aske him any questions, least he should make him to lie. [ p. 10.] A very doubt­full busines, whether Montezini did not aske him too many questions, or whether the Cazic being so apt to doe is, did not lye; but this upon the result must be the fullfilling of the prophesies, and induce our Parlia­ment men to kill the Kings of the earth, that Messias may reigne, and all the world may be under his governe­ment.

There are some of us apt enough to believe, that Christ shall raigne a thousand yeares, and that they shall destroy all Monarchy. They have done prettily well for three kingdoms allready in one man, [Page 6]but that your brethren the Scots call upon his sonn [...] and so will en­deavour to spoyle all the worke, but let them not follow their forefa­thers, your countreyman Iudas Iscari­ot. They have done pretty well al­ready, in so barbarously hanging his best friend, that even our men raile upon them, and so will doe still un­till they have purchased or con­quered their Sanhedrim. Have at them; Cromwell hath once con­quered them allready, for which they have given him thanks, and so may they doe againe.

But Sir, ye both well agree in pulling downe the Pope; but will you pull downe the Antichrist? The Papists say, he must be of the tribe of Dan, will you pull down your bro­ther? Ye loved Musique, your bre­thren the Scots hate all but the bag­pipes, or one of Robert VVi [...]edomes Psalmes. But Brethren of Israel, bee advised, they will have a King of [Page 7]their aun nation, have a care they prove not mongrells; they say they are Christians, not altogether Jewes, England is their land of Canaan; yet they are aswell disper­sed over all the world as yee: even to a proverbe in the German tongue. (Scotten Rotte [...]and base gelt goes all the world over.)

But ye must joyne with some of us for a thousand yeares raigne; their Nappier speakes much against it, and very rationally. Well, then ioyne with those Millenarians now or never. What though it hath been condemned for an Heresie? Origen was a good Scholler, and a good Hebrician. You have also many of the ancients, and many of our Synod men on that part. But they will have the Sonne of Mary to raigne He is not for your new Mes­sias. Well then peece up aswell as ye can, and finde some medium.

For me, and those of the true re­formed [Page 8]Religion (though we have great hopes of your conversion) yet wee must say, that by these opinions of yours, you will cause the prophe­sie to bee fulfilled, that the Messias shall come againe as a thiefe in the night For while yee loke for a glo­rious temporall King he will come out of the clouds with the sound of the trumpet to judgment. Take heede of the Valley of Jehosophat! But then indeed shall the true sonnes of Abraham reigne with him the thousand yeares of eternity. Take heede least through such wick­ed expectations yee and they thinke not the end of the world soe neere as it is, and through your want of faith and charity, yee cause not the dates to hee shortened, and that the world continue not the six thousand yeares, before the long day of eternity comes, and ye be shut out into utter darknesse.

Connder therefore the Doctrine [Page 9]of Iohn Baptist, and repent betimes, (yee have Moses and the Prophets,) and looke well to the Starre, [...] Ʋirgins Sonne, and the Branch, and see well whether he be not come already, and Flias in Saint John Baptist. Hath he not destroyed all the Idolls Temples and Oracles? Hath not hee rent the vaile of the Temple, and broken the pertition wall between Iew and Gentiles? Is not Shilo come, where is your King of Iuda? Was not Herod an Idumaean? Hath not he prepared a a heavenly kingdom for you, if you will beleeve in him? Brethren, be not so stupid to looke for an earthly kingdome. Is not the heavenly farr better? Yee believe a judgement day and a resurrection; The Sadu­ces (I hope) have no sect amongst you now, then ( see also p. 83. cap. [...]7) harken to your countrey-men, Paul and Peter, they will inter­pret the old testament better than [Page 10]you doe. Who sent Montezini to preach to you? Be not deluded with vain expectations, you and he say the time of your deliverance is con­cealed, and your people are concea­led untill that day, and beleeve me; or your owne Prophets and Nati­on, ye will still be so, untill ye come into utter darkenesse, if ye repent not, and know ye have crucified the Lord Jesus. For examine your selves in what is revealed: have not all of you a bloody issue about your bo­dies, (See the booke of the blessed Jewe of Morrocco) and doe not the Italians say, they smell a Jew before they discerne him with their eyes? Did not your forefathers say, His blood be upon us and our children? Was not his prophesie fulfilled in the destruction of your Temple, and the dispersion of the reliques of your na­tion? What plainer signes would you have? What plainer prophesies? O brethren, be not wilfully blinde.

My consent ye shall have, that you and your people shall live in Eng­land, and have meeting places to worship Adonai, but no place for sacrifices, for that were to deny Christ, as your owne Countryman, Paul hath told you. And ye shall bee allowed to expound the Old Testament, and Christians shall be admitted to heare you, and you shall admit them to teach you. And indeed, wee have yet some that are very skilfull in the Easterne tongues. You may doe well to give them good Pensions, to teach your nation, and they are so poore they had neede of it. But let me intreat you, not to endea­vour to destroy Kings, untill Christ come. You will hardly destroy the Popish Kings, and if yee destroy the Protestant, yee will cause the Papists to prevaile.

I had thought to have shewed you, the slendernesse of your [Page 12]proofes and expectations of your Earthly Monarch and Messias; but but I had rather you would consi­der the full proofes of our beliefe, and the reasonablenesse of the grounds thereof, to the helpe of your people herein. I wish reverend Doctor Hammond would put his little booke of the reasonablenesse of Christian religion into La­tin.

I like well your intention, that you will continue the history of your countrey-man Iosephus. see. P. 44.45. &c chap. 16.

I had thought heere to have made an end of my discourse with you, seeing your writing so vaine and frivolous, but truely my bow­ells yearne after your conversion, and I must say, wee Christians doe a great deale more honour your Nation than you your selves. For wee worship that country-man of yours, that sonne of of David, and [Page 13]of Mary, the Sonne of the most high God, perfect God, and per­fect man, whom you and wee cru­cified, though the eternall act of his crucifixion was done by your forefathers alone. We reverence all your progenitors, and prophets. Wee reverence our fathers in Christ of your nation, the holy Di­sciples and Apostles, who by their preaching overthrew all the vaine Gods of the gentiles, and suffered Martyrdome for the beliefe and expectation of your forefathers; they indeed raised up seed to your father Abraham, and wee are the sonns of his faith, which wee have nowe held forth almost as long as the law was held forth. Wee yet hold forth the eternall lawe of God, the Ten Commandements, though the law of ceremonies bee abrogated, by that one sacrifice of him upon the crosse, who was a Priest after the order of Melchise­dek. [Page 14]And what priests have you of the order of Aaron? You must goe looke for them, you know not where; amongst the Indians. Mon­tezini may be your guide, to bring you to the Cave of Montezint in Don Quixot. But Brother, though I could say enough farther upon this point out of the old testament and the Psalmes, yet I will leave that to ours who are more learned in the Easterne tongues.

And nowe come againe to that which is most proper for my part. The preparations for your ad­mission into England, to which, if the Parliament shall thinke fit, I shall give my directions and cau­tions.

1. First, I doubt whether we may admit you to circumcise in our land. For should wee doe it, wee should deny Christ to bee come. And yee need not alwaies doe it; for it was not done for fortie [Page 15]yeares in the wildernesse, and o­mitted for long times in your cap­tivity; and truly you doe but cru­cify Christ againe by it, in deny­ing him to be the Messias, and so do your brethren the Turkes.

Well then; will you forbeare that, if you should live amongst us? We will but desire you to for­beare it till Messias come to have an earthly kingdome, some of you say, that is to be very shortly.

2. In lieu of this, we will neither force you, nor any of your chil­dren to be christned, wee hold that an abomination; but if any of you will repent and believe, wee will christen them; but if anyfall backe, wee must punish them: and wee must tell you, the Rolles in Chancery lane is the Hospitall of the converted Jewes, and wee will make more colledges for such converts, if there be neede.

3. He that dyes a christian shall [Page 16]enjoy his whole estate, and he that dyes a Iew shall leave but a third part to his posterity, one third to the state of this land, and one third to the maintenance of converted Iews.

4. There shall be a viewe at their entrance taken of their names and circumcisions that have beene heretofore, and a Record kept con­stantly, that the circumcised may be entred, which if they neglect, they shall suffer death and confisca­tion.

5. Every yeare a search shall be made, whether any male childe be circumcised, and if done in En­gland, or the Dominions thereof, a consiscation of halfe the parents estate shall ensue. If any lew under­take to circumcise a christian, he shall suffer the paines of death and confiscation, in what Nation soever he doth it.

6. They may come of both sexes [Page 17]to christian praiers and sermons unconverted, so they behave them­selves reverently and decently. And once in the yeare, viz. on Good Fry­day or the day of Crucifixion, they shall be compelled to come, & then the names both of men, women and children to be taken, and recorded. As also the names of the converts.

7. They may well pay double cu­stome, both they and the Postnati borne in England, untill they be converted, and then to pay only single custome.

8. They shall keepe no Fraternityes or Guilds, but by speciall license, but they may dwell and trade in any part of England. No corpo­rations to be allowed but to those of the converted Iewes; & all in ge­nerall shall maintaine their owne poore.

9. None of either sex shall marry with any Christian, nor shall any [Page 18]christian marry with them, untill they be converted.

10. If they shall endeavour to raise up any of their owne nation to be their King, those that are guilty thereof shall suffer death and con­fiscation.

11. If they joyne with the Anabap­tist or Leveller to raise a Captaine Generall, such as Iohn of Leyden or Knipperdoling, they shall suffer death and consiscation.

12. They shall be subject to all o­ther lawes of the land. To these lawes the Parliament may add or diminish as they please, in relation to the government of the Iews.

And now brother Manasseb, to give you one touch more for a farewell; you know how long the world hath lasted hitherto; some say two thousand years before the law, two thousand yeares under the law, and 1650 since the lawe, this is [Page 19]the yeare of Iubilee, look for the sab­bath day of eternity, it may be the world shall not last six thousand yeares. There are five thousand six hundred and fifty passing, and there is no roome for Messias his one thousand yeares reigne upon earth. Will you hear a story I have lately heard, and I hope to make out the record better than you doe that of Montezinies.

It is thus; one of your great Rab­bins upon his death-bed, in the Low-countreyes, not many yeares since, called his people to him, and saide, Wee have long, expected our Messias, and hee doe not come in the yeare 1650. or 51. Embrace the Christians Messias, for he must needes have beene the man. And at his throne no doubt all Protestant Kings will cast downe their Crownes. Looke upon some of the psalmes, I will direct you to a [Page 20]few viz. 65. v. 2.5.7.8.13. Psa. 66. V. 1.2.3.6. Psa. 67. All the Psalme Psa. 68. For this dayes mor­ning prayer v. 1. Let God arise, and let his enemies bee scattered, let them also that hate him fly before him. 2.3.4.5.6.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18. Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men: yea, even for thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them. 19.20.21.22.23.27. There is [...] little Benjamin their ruler, and the Princes of Juda their councell: the Princes of Zabulon, and the Princes of Napthali. Observe that your first King was a Benjamite, and observe how many of your tribes shall returne. 28.29.30.31.32.33.34. Ascribe yee the power to God over Israell his worship and strength is in the clouds. Why will yee then have it a temporall reigne upon earth.

See the eightieth Psal. v. 14. Turn thee againe thou God of Hostes, looke downe from heavan, behold and visit this vine, v. 15. and the place of the vineyard, that thy right hand hath planted: and the branch that thou ma­dest so strong for thy selfe. v. 17. Let thy hand bee upon the man of thy right hand and upon the Sonne of man whom thou madest so strong for thine owne selfe.

Your Rabbins say, there are two Messiahs, that of ours you call Ben Joseph, But you expect Messiah Ben David. Was not ours Ben David? Looke upon the Pedegrees in Ma­thew and Luke, in the latter you shall finde Maries Pedegree, who was the right heire after her espou­sed Joseph was dead.

Behold, a Ʋirgin did conceiv and beare a Sonne; This was the Branch, and the Man of Gods right hand, and he was called Wonder­full [Page 22]and Emanuel. And often called in his life time by prophe­ticke spirits whom he cured, the the Sonne of David, nay the Di­vels themselves confessed he was the Sonne of David, and quarrelled with him, because hee came to tor­ment them before their time.

It was a wonderfull production. The Spirit of God overshadowed this Virgin, &c. Why should not that make her fruitfull, as it did the Abysse in the first of Genesis, v. 2 Ter­ra erat inanis et vacua, et tenebrae erant super faciem abyssi, & Spiritus do­mini ferebatur super aquas: There have you the third person in the Trini­ty. Et dixit Deus, fiat Lux, & facta est Lux. And as upon this incubati­on Light was made, so upon this obumbration, our faviour Christ, the true and everlasting Light, was brought forth by the holy Ghost in the shape of man. What would [Page 23]you have more? See Sylou scintil­lane, 97. pag.

SPem nostram de Gentis Judaicae conversione, faelici­ter expergefecisti: quam licet semper spectavimus ut certam, nunquam tamen ut propinquam: non ut opus hu­jus, sed alicujus venturi saeculi. Cum enim consideramus quot procellae, turbines, ac tempesta­tesubi (que) gentium, orbem Christi­anum [Page]mir è perturbant! quan­tilla autem spes sit remedij, aut alicujus vicinae pacis! quam omnia in praecipiti nutant! & in Catholicam ruinam cedunt! Quis Christianae fidei Atlas, aut spei Hercules tanto oneri pares praebere poterit humeros? Cum naufragio periisse visa est Cha­ritas, quis è perituris secundam tabulam admovebit Iudaeis jam clim perditis? Cum nobis non convenit inter nos, quis nostrae communionis participem dedet suam animam? Sed esto! Spes, non est nisi fit de arduis. Hebraee ausculta: Ʋir doctus, & nobilis: [...]: Genere, & Genio honorandus, rem illam ar­duam aggreditur! Quidui per di­vinum auxilium & auspicium opus hoc possibile redderetur? [Page]Heu! nimium faciles Hebraeos, se gentium idolis & superstitioni­bus olim praebuisse, testantur om­nes ad unum prophetae Israelitae. In Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum qualis, quanta, & quā obstinata durities? Adeone mu­tuari d [...]um alienum ab Ethnicis, in promptuest? Deum autem ve­strum communicare Ethnicis a­deò molestum est? Qualis est haec justitia? Crudeles Judaei, aut vo­bis aut peregrinis! Deum non vultis vestrum esse, quia noster esse dignatus est. Si haec non sit ratio Iudiaicae insaniae, Istaneces­se erit. Quod suae non divinae sa­tis factioni inhiarunt. Miserias prius quaese, quam peccata quae Deum premunt removeri sem­per placuit. Idcircò Beatum Ie­sum Bar-Mariae qui suo primo [Page]adventu Deo satisfecit potius quam Iudaeo; A Iudaeo asperna­tur. Qui peccata prius studuit tollere quam miserias nullo modo his Messiah esse poterit. Sed eli­gunt in peccatis simul & mise­rijs per multa annorum saecula inter varias gentes comminui, potius quam hanc methodum amplecti.

Sed age, Illustrissime Domine, hunc foelicem conatum proseque­re, occasionemque sapiens ut ar­ripuisti, sic faxit Deus sinem o­peris prosperè consequaris. Ita precatur, Domine,