itó TheFaithof theAntieht Churchofthe yews that tutned the Brcam of their imaginations and expe6kations for a long feafon, it may not be amifs, togive in our, palfage, a brief account concerning him, and the things which befell them in thofe dayes. Some òf: the 7ews affirm that there were two of that name, both Heads of Sedition amongft them. One of thefe they place under Domitian, and the other who was his Grandchild under the Reign of Trajan andHadrian. So do the Authorsof Sehalfchelet Hakabala, and ofTzemacb David. Bur the Stories of thofe times with the condition of the Jews underDomitian will' allow no other place unto theformer, but in their own imaginations. The latter was well known in t 'world, and hath left himfelf a Name, fuch as it is, in the Writings of Chriftians, and the Hiltoriet of theRomans.. For Hadrian the Emperour provokedby feditious Tumult and Rebellionof the Jews in the fécond year of his Reign, which he fuppreffed by Martius Turbo,as Dio,Eufebius, and Orofiusdeclare,' drove them from Jerufalem, andbuilt a Temple to Jupiter in the place where the Old Temple flood, This proved a great provocation to the Jews all theworld over ; yea, turned them into rage and madnefs. And they were in thofe dayes exceedingly prone, untoTu- midis and Vproars, as being poor and needy, not having as yet given themfelves to fcrape wealth together, the love whereof, hath been 'thegreat means of keeping them in quietnefs in fucceedingAges. In this condition Barcosba (hews himfelf amongll them, pretending that hewas their Meffiah, as they confefs in theTaint. Trail. Sand Dill.Cheleck. He reigned, they fay, three years and an half,,a fatali period of time 3' and rinDD t3lti (37117 17013; he faid to the Rabbins I am the Nfegiah. Immediately one of their famous Meer:, whole memory they yet much Reverence,Rabbi flkibabecame his Armour-bearer ; and fo far his2rumpeter alfo, as to proclaim him to be their King Mefliah. For this is their way; when they get a falfe Mejlialo, they have alfo a falf Prophet to ufher him in, or to fet him off unto the People. And this Akribà, as Mai- monde: informs us , % art 1071101 rim ''111x ì7711, was a great Wife Man, and oneof the Wife Menof the Mifbns, as his fayings in it manifeft 3 fo that all the Wife men of that Generation followed him, and took thisBarcoslsá for their King and Web. And He firft applyed unto him theProphetic of Balaam Num. 24. v. 17. concerning theStar thatJhould arifi out of Jacob, whereon they changed his name , and called himBarchocheba,or the Son ofthe Star ; or as fome fay, that was his name at fire whence the blind Rabbin took occalon to apply that Prediél'ion unto him. Con- cerning him alto they interpreted the Prophetic of the Shilo, and that an in Haggai about the fhaking of the Heavens and the earth, as they;acknowledge in the Talmud in the place fore-cited. This man therefore, á Magician and ä 'Nod) Murderer by thecommon advife and Counfel of their Dotlors and Wife men they gathered unto in multitudes, and embraced as their Deliverer. So Coon as he had got ftrength and power, he let himfelf to the work which they elrpedbed from their Meab; namely to conquer the Romans, and to extirpate the Chriifians, which lat, asMuffin Martyr who lived near thofe dayes informs us, he endeavoured with all Cruelty. In the purfuit of this defign, he continued for threeyears and an half, obftinatefy managing a bloody War againft theRomans,until the Impofior himfelf was(lain, their great Rabbi taken-and tortured to deathwith iron Cards, and fuch a devaftation made of the whole Nati- on, as that to this day they could never .gather together in great numbers in any placeof theworld. Maimonides tells us of this Bareosba whom they all received for their Meffiah silo 1.t'71 i11í1 tit! =Cal MC 1`1Ftty tit?, that the Wijii men required of him neither Sign nor Wonder; that is nomiracle; but others of them, report that he caufed Fire to come out, of his mouth, with other diabolical delufions, fit to deceive a poorblinded credulous multitude. And the Opinion of Maimonides that they look fornoMiracles from the Meffiab items to be vented on purpofe to obviate the plea of the ChriJfians from the Miracles wrought by the Lord Jefus ; and is contrary unto the confiant pen- fwafion of moli of their Matters, and his own judgement declared in other places. And the Targum its felfin"Hab. ;. v. 18. hath their words, till 191 ä't3 'iy 777 1P11Wtaei 17}ìr11 , becaufe of the Miraculous Signs and Redemption that thou- !halt work for or by thy MtJah. So they call the Miracles wrought at their coming out of Egypt : a'D3 or ti'D3, fee Hoof 2.15. Targum. And on this ground do they ffudi- oufly and wickedly endeavour to Bain by any means the Gloryof the Miracles of the LordJefus ; But the endof this Impoftor, who probably was intended in thofewords of our Saviour, John I. 43 if another come in his own name him will ye receive, hath proved the fbame and reproach of their hopes and expe6tations unto a l ,Generations.
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