book of Kozri, composed by rabbi Isaac Sengri, · and Jehuda Levi. The Caraites protest against it, and consider themselves as disciples of Anan. Rabbi Mendel mentioned to me the history of the conversion of a Polish Count, Podozky by name: he turned Jew, and was committed to the flames by the inquisition in Wilna.

Josephus the Jewish historian, does not stand in credit with the Jews at Jerusalem; they consider him a man of the world, who held with all parties and sects. But rabbi Mendel observed, that his brother Boni Ben Gorioni (for so they call Josephus the son of Gorion) was so great a saint, that they called him Nakdimin, for the sun stood still one day at his prayer,

April 15.—I laid before rabbi Mendel Exod. xiv. 21-31, and 1 Kings xviii. 39, to convince him that miracles have been wrought by God to persuade the people of God that it was the Lord's work; farther, Isaiah xxxv. 5, 6, to prove to him that the Messiah was to work miracles. And to prove to him that the Messiah was predicted to be a a person equal with God, I shewed to him Zech. xiii. 7; and that he was to be born at Bethlehem, laid before him Micah v. 1.

Rabbi Mendel. Four things are to be observed in expounding the Scripture.

1. The plain meaning of every verse.

2. Upon every letter, the Torah must be preached. 3. By one word many things are hinted at.

4. The Cabbala.

Rabbi Mendel replied to Exod. xiv. 21-31. The Jews did only believe for that moment; but they said afterwards, Moses may perhaps have bewitched us; for they said, Exodus xviii. 7, "Is the Lord among us or not?" And the Lord himself descended from heaven, in order that they might be convinced that Moses did not do that miracle by witchcraft; and that they may believe for ever.

Rabbi Mendel went on, 1 Kings xviii. 39. Elijah said twice, "Hear me, O Lord, hear me." The first "hear

me," indicates the prayer, that God may perform a miracle ; and the second exclamation of "hear me," signifies the prayer of Elijah to God, that God may incline the heart of Israel to believe that that miracle was not done by witchcraft, but by the hand of the Lord."

I. It is sorrowful, rabbi Mendel, to hear you so dreadfully perverting the text, the clear text of the word of God!

Rabbi Mendel. We must accept likewise for our guide the unwritten word of God..

I. There is not in the written word of God one single allusion to an unwritten word of God; and Deut. iv. 2. proves that there cannot exist another Torah besides the Torah written down.

Rabbi Mendel. It is alluded to in Exodus xxxiv. 27. " after the tenor," (literally, after the mouth).

I. It is there said, “WRITE THOU THESE WORDS; for after the tenor of THESE WORDS (which I have commanded thee TO WRITE) I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel."

Rabbi Mendel gave no answer to it, and replied to Zech. xiii. 7, "Israel is called the fellow of God, which is clear by Psalm cxxii. 8, For my brethren and companions' sake."

I. David said this, rabbi Mendel. You pervert the Torah with your Talmudical knowledge; and the rabbies in the time of Jesus Christ did the same, and he speaks on this account so strongly against the Pharisees. Moses and the prophets are turned into ridicule by these horrible perversions of the text. How clear and consistent with the Torah are the words of the New Testament; read it, and you shall find in it wisdom above all wisdom.

April 16.-Rabbi Reuben, of the sect of the Hasidim, a gentleman, thirty-six years of age, born at Mohilev, and rabbi Abraham Ben David Izkowish, called on me to-day. He spake very reasonably indeed, and candidly, which quickened my mind again, after my soul had been brought

into great sorrow by the obstinacy of rabbi Mendel. Rabbi Reuben tried to answer my citation of Genesis xlix. 10, by Psalm lxxxix. 19, to the end of that Psalm. Rabbi Reuben then agreed, although the sceptre of Judah seems to be departed, our hope is not gone. I convinced him, by God's help, that his argument was not conclusive. Rabbi Reuben confessed that it cannot be denied Jeremiah has predicted a new covenant, and a covenant not according to the covenant made with our fathers. Rabbi Reuben promised to call on me every other day, and converse with me; he accepted with joy a Hebrew New Testament, which he promised to read with attention.

Rabbi Hirsh Ben Zara called on me. He was very weak in his arguments, and confessed candidly that he is not able to argue with me; but he observed, that he does not doubt a moment that my belief in Christ is sincere.

The young Mordecai Ben Solomon, whose father is at present in England, called on me. He is only fourteen years of age; He undertook to argue with me. Abraham Ben David, who is the whole day with me, and is reading the New Testament, became very angry at Mordecai's boldness. I said to him, "Don't hinder him in seeking truth." I explained to him Isaiah liii. I referred all the Jews who called on me to-day, to Isaiah xxix. 10-14. Zechariah xix. 10. Isaiah xlii. 19, 20. You may easily perceive that Talmudical religion is, as well as Popery, the mystery of iniquity. May the angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless Israel, and may the light of his countenance shine upon poor Israel.

Called this evening on the Patriarch of the Armenians. Many other Armenian gentlemen were present. Several religious conversations about Christian love and union, and the absurdity of the Pope's pretensions, took place. Pater Paoli Tiutiungi has already become a Missionary; he argues with his countrymen about the truth of the Gospel. I pass over in silence the idolatry practised in the holy sepulchre.

U

April 17.—I called on the aged rabbi Joseph, the son of Wolf: other Jews were assembled there. They told me that rabbi Mendel tried, with some other rabbies, to pronounce an anathema against those, who should dare any longer to argue with me, but the majority of them declared that they would not in any case take notice of the anathema of the rabbies. Rabbi Reuben Hasid has declared publicly that he is reading the New Testament to examine it, and to tell me his candid opinion about it. Rabbi Joseph, the son of Wolf, began then to argue with me; rabbi Jekosiel, from Safet, and others were present, Rabbi Joseph said, God has formed Eve of the rib of Adam, to teach us that a woman cannot conceive without a

man.

I. I admit that it cannot be in a natural way; but God, the author of nature, may suspend it, for the execution of his purposes.

Rabbi Joseph. God performs his miracles in a natural manner. God might have divided the waters in a moment, but, in order not to transgress the rule of nature, he caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind, all that night.

1. I admit that the Lord may sometimes perform miracles in a natural way, and by using natural means, but, we find that he sometimes did the contrary; for instance, when Elisha awoke the dead child, and Elijah brought down fire from heaven. As the first Adam was without a carnal father, so was to be the second Adam, Jesus Christ, who was to bruise Satan's head, and to make us again in the image of God, and by his having been born of a virgin, Isaiah vii. 14, has been fulfilled.

Rabbi Joseph. In Solomon's Song, vi. 8, ny are concubines.

I. That preceding

are not concubines is clear by the . The Pachas in the East educate to this day virgins in their Harem, who are designed for their future concubines or wives; but till that time they

are shut up and hidden from every male; they are

.עלמות

Rabbi Joseph, son of Wolf, was completely convinced, so that he candidly confessed that no Jew will ever be able to beat me by arguments; I do not, however, believe it, and hope in the help and assistance of the Lord. I desired rabbi Joseph to look at the interpretation of Genesis xlix. 10, given by rabbi Simon Bar Johai in his book called Sohar. Rabbi Simon Bar Johai believes manifestly the Messiah was to be a divine personage→→→ Jéhovah himself; he proves it in a cabbalistical manner, and says, that the two letters and of which the name of God is composed, are to be found in the word

Rabbi Jekosiel, from Safet, a young gentleman, excused himself with the plea of indisposition for not being able to argue with me to-day:

I

I went in the evening to the old rabbi Joseph, the son of Wolf, where I met with the learned rabbi Abraham Benjamin, the son of Shamja, of the Polish party, and with rabbi Jekosiel; the latter of Safet. Rabbi Abraham is perfectly acquainted with the Hebrew, Chaldee, Arabic, and German tongues. He has travelled through Palestine, Chaldea, and Curdistan, and has been in Haran. He said to me, that he called to-day on rabbi Joseph, to have the pleasure of seeing and conversing with me; he is a rich gentleman; he tells me there are 800 families of Jews in Bagdad. Rabbi Joseph, the son of Wolf, said then, Let us give you an exposition of the Sohar, composed by rabbi Simon Bar Johai; that rabbi was born 190 years after the birth of Christ in Palestine; he lived twelve years in a cave, where he composed his mystic-philosophical commentary on the five books of Moses, viz. the Sohar. At Miron, near Safet, is his grave-Jews go there and weep. The whole Sohar is written in the Chaldee tongue. Now let us hear rabbi Joseph: Solomon's Song, ii. 2, As the rose (not lily) among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. There are good and bad roses, and there are