army against the king, but was taken and imprisoned; and, having made his escape, was afterwards seized again, and beheaded. Vast numbers of the Jews were butchered for taking part with this impostor.

16. We are told of another false Christ in this same century by Maimonides and Solomon: but they take no notice either of his name, country, or good or ill success.

Here we may observe, that no less than ten false Christs arose in the twelfth century, and brought prodigious calamities and destruction upon the Jews in various quarters of the world.

tudes marched from unknown parts to the remote deserts of Arabia, and they were supposed to be the ten tribes of Israel, who had been dispersed for many ages; that a ship was arrived in the north part of Scotland with sails and cordage of silk; that the mariners spake nothing but Hebrew; that on the sails was this motto, The twelve tribes of Israel. Thus were credulous men possessed at that time.

Then it was that 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, and believed Sabatai to be the

17. In the year 1497, we find another false Christ, whose name was Ismael Sophus, who deluded the Jews in Spain. He also perished, and as many as be-Messias as firmly as we Christians believed in him were dispersed.

18. In the year 1500, Rabbi Lemlem, a German Jew of Austria, declared himself a forerunner of the Messiah, and pulled down his own oven, promising his brethren that they should bake their bread in the Holy Land next year.

lieve any article of faith. A right reverend person, then in Turkey, meeting with a Jew of his acquaintance at Aleppo, he asked him 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 19. In the year 1509, one whose name prove an impostor, he would then turn was Plefferkorn, a Jew of Cologne, pre-Christian. It is fit we should be partitended to be the Messiah. He after-cular in this relation, because the hiswards affected, however, to turn Chris- tory is so very surprising and remarkatian. ble; and we have the account of it from those who were in Turkey.

20. In the year 1534, Rabbi Salomo Malcho, giving out that he was the Messiah, was burnt to death by Charles the Fifth of Spain.

21. In the year 1615, a false Christ arose in the East Indies, and was greatly followed by the Portuguese Jews, who were scattered over that country.

22. In the year 1624, another in the Low Countries pretended to be the Messiah of the family of David, and of the line of Nathan. He promised to destroy Rome, and to overthrow the kingdom of Antichrist, and the Turkish empire.

23. In the year 1666, appeared the false Messiah Sabatai Sevi, who made so great a noise, and gained such a number of proselytes. He was born at Aleppo, imposed on the Jews for a considerable time; but afterwards, with a view of saving his life, turned Mahometan, and was at last beheaded. As the history of this impostor is more entertaining than that of those we have already mentioned, I will give it at some length.

Sabatai Sevi was the son of Mordecai Sevi, a mean Jew of Smyrna. Sabatai was very bookish, and arrived to great skill in the Hebrew learning. He was the author of a new doctrine, and for it was expelled the city. He went thence to Salonichi, of old called Thessalonica, where he married a very handsome woman, and was divorced from her. Then he travelled into the Morea, then to Tripoli, Gaza, and Jerusalem. By the way he picked up a third wife. At Jerusalem he began to reform the Jews' constitutions, and abolish one of their solemn fasts, and communicated his designs of professing himself the Messias to one Nathan. He was pleased with it, and set up for his Elias, or forerunner, and took upon him to abolish all the Jewish fasts, as not beseeming, when the bridegroom was now come. Nathan prophesied that the Messias should appear before the Grand Seignior in less than two years, and take from him his crown, and lead him

in chains.

The year 1666 was a year of great At Gaza, Sabatai preached repentexpectation, and some wonderful thing ance, together with a faith in himself, was looked for by many. This was a so effectually, that the people gave fit time for an impostor to set up; and, themselves up to their devotions and accordingly, lying reports were carried alms. The noise of this Messias began about. It was said, that great multi-to fill all places. Sabatai now resolves

received Sabatai's blessing, and promises of advancement. The Turks made use of this confluence; they raised the price of their lodgings and provisions, and put their price upon those who desired to see Sabatai for their admittance. This profit stopped their mouths, and no complaints were for this cause sent to Adrianople.

of the son of David, and to usher him in; and Nehemiah accused Sabatai of too great forwardness in appearing as the son of David, before the son of Ephraim had led him the way. Sabatai could not brook this doctrine; for he might fear that the son of Ephraim, who was to lead the way, might pretend to be the son of David, and so leave Sabatai, in his confinement, appoints him in the lurch; and, therefore, he the manner of his own nativity. He excluded him from any part or share in commands the Jews to keep it on the this matter; which was the occasion of ninth day of the month Ab, and to make the ruin of Sabatai, and all his glorious it a day of great joy, to celebrate it with designs. Nehemiah, being disappointpleasing meats and drinks, with illumi- || ed, goes to Adrianople, and informs nations and music. He obligeth them the great ministers of state against Sato acknowledge the love of God, in batai, as a lewd and dangerous person giving them that day of consolation for to the government, and that it was nethe birth of their king Messias, Sabatai cessary to take him out of the way. Sevi, his servant and first-born Son in The Grand Seignior, being informed of love. this, sends for Sabatai, who, much deWe may observe, by the way, thejected, appears before him. The grand insolence of this impostor. This day Seignior requires a miracle, and chooses was a solemn day of fasting among the one himself; and it was this: that SaJews, formerly in memory of the burn-batai should be stripped naked, and set ing of the temple by the Chaldees: several other sad things happened in this month, as the Jews observe; that then, and upon the same day, the second temple was destroyed; and that in this month it was decreed in the wilderness that the Israelites should not enter into Canaan, &c. Sabatai was born on this day; and, therefore, the fast must be turned to a feast; whereas, in truth, it had been well for the Jews had he not been born at all; and much better for himself, as will appear from what follows.

as a mark for his archers to shoot at ; and, if the arrows did not pierce his flesh, he would own him to be the Messias. Sabatai had not faith enough to bear up under so great a trial. The Grand Seignior let him know that he would forthwith impale him, and that the stake was prepared for him, unless he would turn Turk. Upon which he consented to turn Mahometan, to the great confusion of the Jews. And yet some of the Jews were so vain as to affirm that it was not Sabatai himself, but his shadow, that professed the religion, and was seen in the habit of a Turk; so great was their obstinacy and infidelity, as if it were a thing impossi→ ble to convince these deluded and infatuated wretches.

The Jews of that 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 After all this, several of the Jews conSaviour. He was also, during this im- tinued to use the forms, in their public prisonment, visited by pilgrims from all worship prescribed by this Mahometan parts, that had heard his story. Among Messias, which obliged the principal whom Nehemiah Cohen, from Poland,|| Jews of Constantinople to send to the was one, a man of great learning in the synagogue of Smyrna to forbid this Kabbala and eastern tongues; who de- practice. During these things, the Jews, sired a conference with Sabatai, and at instead of minding their trade and the conference maintained, that accord- || traffic, filled their letters with news of ing to the Scripture, there ought to be Sabatai their_Messias, and his wondera two-fold Messias; one the son of ful works. They reported, that, when Ephraim, a poor and despised teacher the Grand Seignior sent to take him, of the law the other the son of David, he caused all the messengers that were to be a conqueror. Nehemiah was con- sent to die; and when other Janizaries tent to be the former, the son of were sent, they all fell dead by a word Ephraim, and to leave the glory and from his mouth; and being requested dignity of the latter to Sabatai. Sabatai, to do it, he caused them to revive again. for what appears, did not dislike this. They added, that, though the prison But here lay the ground of the quarrel: where Sabatai lay was barred and fastNehemiah taught that the son of ened with strong iron locks, yet he was Ephraim ought to be the forerunner seen to walk through the streets with a

Z z

up their troops in intrenchments and strong holds, in order to cover them from the attacks of the enemy. Of this

numerous train; that the shackels which were upon his neck and feet did not fall off, but were turned into gold, with which Sabatai gratified his follow-number were the Jesuit Veron, who ers. Upon the fame of these things the Jews of Italy sent legates to Smyrna, to enquire into the truth of these matters. When the legates arrived at Smyrna, they heard of the news that Sabatai was turned Turk, to their very great confusion; but, going to visit the brother of Sabatai, he endeavoured to persuade them that Sabatai was still the true Messias; that it was not Sabatai that went about in the habit of a Turk, but his angel, or spirit; that his body was taken into heaven, and should be sent down again when God should think it a fit season. He added, that Nathan, his forerunner, who had wrought many miracles, would soon be at Smyrna; that he would reveal hidden things to them, and confirm them. But this Elias was not suffered to come into Smyrna, and though the legates saw him elsewhere, they received no satisfaction

at all.

24. The last false Christ that had made any considerable number of converts was one Rabbi Mordecai, a Jew of Germany: he appeared in the year 1632. It was not long before he was found out to be an impostor, and was obliged to fly from Italy to Poland to save his life. What became of him af terwards does not seem to be recorded. This may be considered as true and exact an account of the false Christs that have arisen since the crucifixion of our blessed Saviour, as can well be given. See Johannes a Lent's Hist. of False Messiahs; Jortin's Rem. on Eccl. Hist. vol. iii. p. 330; Kidder's Demonstration of the Messias; Harris's Sermons on the Messiah; The Eleventh Volume of the Modern Part of the Universal History; Simpson's Key to the Prophecies, sec. 9; Maclaurin on the Prophecies relating to the Messiah; Fuller's Jesus the true Messiah.

required the Protestants to prove the tenets of their church by plain passages of Scripture, without being allowed the liberty of illustrating those passages, reasoning upon them, or drawing any conclusions from them; Nihusius, an apostate from the Protestant religion; the two Wallenburgs, and others, who confined themselves to the business of answering objections; and cardinal Richlieu, who confined the whole controversy to the single article of the divine institution and authority of the church.-2. The Methodists of the second class were of opinion, that the most expedient manner of reducing the Protestants to silence, was not to attack them by piece-meal, but to overwhelm them at once by the weight of some general principle, or presumption, or some universal argument, which comprehended or might be applied to all the points contested between the two churches; thus imitating the conduct of those military leaders, who, instead of spending their time and strength in sieges and skirmishes, endeavoured to put an end to the war by a general and decisive action. Some of these polemics rested the defence of popery upon prescription; others upon the wicked lives of Protestant princes who had left the church of Rome; others, the crime of religious schism; the variety of opinions among Protestants with regard to doctrine and discipline, and the uniformity of the tenets and worship of the church of Rome; and thus, by urging their respective arguments, they thought they should stop the mouths of their adversaries at once.

METHODISTS, PROTESTANT, origin of It is not generally known that the name of Methodist had been given long before to a religious sect in England, or at least, to a party in reliMETHODIST, a name applied to gion which was distinguished by some different sects, both Papists and Pro- of the same marks as are now sup testants.-1. The popish Methodists posed to apply to the Methodists. John were those polemical doctors who arose Spence, who was librarian of Sion Colin France about the middle of the seven-lege in 1657, in a book which he publishteenth century, in opposition to the Hu-ed, says, Where are now our Anaguenots, or Protestants. These Methodists, from their different manner of treating the controversy with their op ponents, may be divided into two classes. The one comprehends those doctors whose method of disputing with the Protestants was disingenuous and unreasonable; and who followed the example of those military chiefs, who shut

baptists and plain pike staff Methodists, who esteem all flowers of rhetoric in sermons no better than stinking weeds ?"--But the denomination to which we here refer, was founded, in the year 1729 by one Mr. Morgan and Mr. John Wesley. In the month of November that year, the latter being then fellow of Lincoln College, began

to spend some evenings in reading the Greek Testament, with Charles Wesley, student, Mr. Morgan, commoner of Christ Church, and Mr. Kirkham, of Merton College. Not long afterwards, two or three of the pupils of Mr. John Wesley obtained leave to attend these meetings. They then began to visit the sick in different parts of the town, and the prisoners also, who were confined in the castle. Two years after they were joined by Mr. Ingham, of Queen's College, Mr. Broughton, and Mr. Hervey; and, in 1735, by the celebrated Mr. Whitfield, then in his eighteenth year. At this time their number in Oxford amounted to about fourteen. They obtained their name from the exact regularity of their lives, which gave occasion to a young gentleman of Christ Church to say, "Here is a new sect of Methodists sprung up;" alluding to a -sect of ancient physicians who were called Methodists because they reduced the whole healing art to a few common principles, and brought it into some method and order.

a severe loss, in 1730, by the death of Mr. Morgan, who, it is said, was the founder of it. In October, 1735, John and Charles Wesley, Mr. Ingham, and Mr. Delamotte, son of a merchant in London, embarked for Georgia, in order to preach the Gospel to the Indians. After their arrival they were at first favourably received, but in a short time lost the affection of the people; and, on account of some differences with the store-keeper, Mr. Wesley was obliged to return to England. Mr. Wesley, however, was soon succeded by Mr. Whitfield, whose repeated labours in that part of the world are well known.

in connection with Mr. Cennick, and one or two more, began a new house, in Kingswood, Gloucestershire, and established a school that favoured Calvinistical preachers. The Methodists, therefore, were now divided; one part following Mr. Wesley, and the other Mr. Whitfield.

II. Methodists, tenets of. After Mr. Whitfield returned from America in 1741, he declared his full assent to the doctrines of Calvin. Mr. Wesley, on the contrary, professed the Arminian doctrine, and had printed in favour of perfection and universal redemption, and very strongly against election; a doctrine which Mr. Whitfield believed to be scriptural. The difference, therefore, of sentiments between these two At the time that this society was great men caused a separation. Mr. formed, it was said that the whole king-Wesley preached in a place called the dom of England was tending fast to in- Foundery, where Mr. Whitfield preachfidelity. "It is come," says bishop But-ed but once, and no more. Mr. Whitler, "I know not how, to be taken for field then preached to very large congranted by many persons, that Chris-gregations out of doors; and soon after, tianity is not so much as a subject of enquiry; but that it is now at length discovered to be fictitious; and accordingly they treat it as if, in the present age, this were an agreement among all peo ple of discernment, and nothing remained but to set it up as a principal subject of mirth and ridicule, as it were, by way of reprisals for its having so long interrupted the pleasures of the world." There is every reason to believe that the Methodists were the instruments of stemming this torrent. The sick and the poor also tasted the fruits of their labours and benevolence: Mr. Wesley abridged himself of all his superfluities, and proposed a fund for the relief of the indigent; and so prosperous was the scheme, that they quickly increased their fund to eighty pounds per annum. This, which one should have thought would have been attended with praise instead of censure, quickly drew upon them a kind of persecution; some of the seniors of the university began to interfere, and it was reported that the college censor were going to blow up the godly club." They found themselves, however, patronized and encouraged by some men eminent for their learning and virtue; so that the society still continued, though they had suffered

The doctrines of the Wesleyan Methodists, according to their own account, are the same as the church of England, as set forth in her liturgy, articles, and homilies. This, however, has been disputed. Mr. Wesley, in his appeal to men of reason and religion, thus declares his sentiments: "All I teach," he observes, "respects either the nature and condition of justification, the nature and condition of salvation, the nature of justifying and saving faith, or the Author of faith and salvation. That justification whereof our articles and homilies speak signifies present forgiveness, and consequently acceptance with God: I believe the condition of this is faith: I mean not only that without faith we cannot be justified, but also that, as soon as any one has true faith, in that moment he is justified. Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it; much less can || sanctification, which implies a continued course of good works, springing from